Crystal's Heroic Journey
by Deadly Night Angel
Summary: CHAPTER 12! Crystal is a 10 year old girl that is waiting to start her journey as a Pokemon trainer. She sets off on her journey with her friendly,loyal companion, Chikorita. Will they become the greatest team ever? Or suffer at the hands of Team Rocket?
1. The Beginning to a Pokemon Journey

Hey, everyone! Since I got a helpful review from NinetailedBeast97, I got to work and started to edit the other chapters of this story. Now, I hope you'll enjoy reading this. See ya!

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The Beginning to a Pokemon Journey 

It was morning in New Bark Town, the sun was rising over the horizon waking up the folks and kids that are ready to begin, including an 11-year-old bluenette. In the lovely home near the lake, Crystal, was sleeping in her bed in her own bedroom peacefully dreaming while mumbling drowsily in her sleep.

"Crystal! Wake up!" Crystal's mom called loudly from downstairs.

The sleeping bluenette woke up frightened with a jump from the unexpected yell from her mother and landed on her bed. She scanned her spotless room for any trouble franticly until she bent her head down murmuring disappointedly, "Aw, I was having a good dream."

She sat up in her light blue pajamas and stretched her muscles out relaxing. "Today's another day!" She cheered joyfully as she jumped off her bed and began to dress swiftly. She was brushing her frizzed bed hair with her favorite brush and tied her pigtails with her two pink bands. She dressed in her white and pink jacket with a yellow turtleneck underneath, short white pants, white sneakers, and a yellow cap on her head. She turned around in front of her mirror gussying up before she winked and said, "Perfect!"

She ran downstairs and found her mom and the neighbor's wife sitting at the table waiting for her. She looked up to see her daughter coming down the stairs and smiled saying, "Aw, Crystal, you're up. Our neighbor, Prof. Elm, was looking for you. He wants you to do something for him. He's over at his lab."

"Really? I wonder what it is?" she wondered to herself aloud as she ran down the stairs slowly.

She was about to go to the door when her mom stood up and said, "Oh, honey, your Pokegear is back from the shop. You'll need it just incase." She walked over and handed her the fixed Pokegear and continued to say, "I put the house phone number in there, and so you don't have to worry about anything."

"Thanks." She put the Pokegear in her backpack as her mom smiled at her warmly. "I better go and see Prof. Elm. I'll see you later, Mom!" she called running out of the house while her mother called back, "See you later, baby!" Crystal raced to the door and headed out leaving her home. The young bluenette ran from her home and headed towards the Prof. Elm's lab through the friendly neighborhood waving at the neighbors. When she saw the lab up ahead, her heart raced at the idea of her first Pokemon on her own journey by herself. She reached the door and noticed a shadow looming over some trees around the corner of the house.

She curiously walked up and sneaked a peek around the corner to see a redhead boy looking through the window of Prof. Elm's lab. "Who is he? What is he doing?" she asked herself. She sneaked up behind the mysterious redhead and looked at what he's looking at. It was Prof. Elm testing out the three starter Pokemon with his assistant.

She heard him mumbling something and sneaked up on him more until she heard him say, "…So, this is famous Elm Pokemon Lab."

He stood up from his position and turned quickly to miss hitting the poor girl. He jumped back shocked to find someone behind him watching and said annoyed, "…What are you staring at?" He quickly grabbed her and threw her around the corner making her land on the dirty ground before he scoffed and returned back to his former spot. She stood up slowly and dusted the dirt off her jacket and her pants.

"What a jerk! What is he doing spying on Prof. Elm? Whatever, it's none of my business. Now, to see what Prof. Elm wants." She muttered to herself before she went inside the lab. She walked inside to see the lab filled with computers and finished experiments all sat on tables. She walked to the back room to find Prof. Elm with the three pokeballs and his assistant.

Prof. Elm turned around and smiled at his visitor delightful saying, "Crystal! There you are!"

"Hi, Professor. Is there anything you want me to do for you?" She asked walking towards the professor and stood in front of him.

"Yes, I needed to ask you a favor. I'm conducting new Pokemon research right now. I was wondering if you could help me with it, Crystal."

"Sure, what is it exactly?"

"You see, I'm writing a paper that I want to present at a conference, but there are some things I don't quite understand yet." He explained to her while the assistant walked over to the computers near the door.

"Really?"

"Yes. So! I'd like you to raise a Pokemon that I recently caught, do you accept?"

She stood there silently and thought long and hard before she replied cheerfully, "Sure, I'd love to!"

"Thanks, Crystal! You're a great help! When I announce my findings, I'm sure we'll delve a bit deeper into the many mysteries of Pokemon. You can count on it!" His computer screen flashed repeatedly until he ran over and clicked onto his computer. "Oh, hey! I got an e-mail! Hm…uh-huh. Okay…" he read the e-mail with a serious expression.

He walked back towards her and said, "Hey, listen. I have an acquaintance called Mr. Pokemon. He keeps finding weird things and raving about his discoveries. Anyway, I just go an e-mail from him saying that this time it's real. It is intriguing, but we're busy with our Pokemon research. Wait! I know! Crystal, can you go in our place?"

"Well, sure, Prof. Elm!" she answered happily to be of service.

He walked over to his desk with the pokeballs and stood by it. "Good, now, please pick up your Pokemon. You'll be the Pokemon's first partner, Crystal. Go on, pick on!" He urged her elated showing the three pokeballs lying on his desk.

She walked up to the table and analyzed the three before she asked him, "What's in this pokeball?" she pointed to the first pokeball.

"That is the first Pokemon, Cyndaquil. It's a fire-type Pokemon."

"Oh. What about that one?" she pointed to the second pokeball.

"That's Totodile. That is a water-type Pokemon."

"What about the last one?"

"That is Chikorita, it's a grass-type Pokemon. So, which do you choose?"

She took a moment to decide which she'll pick until she made up her mind and picked up the last pokeball. "I'll take this one." She decided holding the red and white Pokemon capsule.

"Ah, you picked Chikorita. It's a great choice for you, Crystal." He nodded agreeing with her as she looked at her first Pokemon encased in the pokeball.

She hung her pokeball on her belt hanging around her hips and said, "I'm going to Mr. Pokemon's House before it gets dark. By the way, where does he live?"

"He lives a little bit beyond Cherrygrove City, the next city over. It's almost a direct route there, so you can't miss it. But just in case, here's my phone number. Call me if anything comes up!" he grabbed Crystal's Pokegear from her bag and inserted his phone number into its database.

He handed it back to her as she set it back in her bag. "If you're Pokemon is hurt, you should heal it with this machine. Feel free to use it anytime." He suggested wisely pointing to the big machine beside him.

"Okay, thanks again, professor." She waved goodbye as Prof. Elm called out, "Crystal, I'm counting on you!" She raced rapidly out the door and started to head towards Cherrygrove City. She moved past the neighbors and the kids cautiously avoiding colliding into anyone before she even got outside of her hometown.

Once she got out of New Bark Town, she picked up her pokeball and threw it making it pop opened to reveal Chikorita smiling happily. "Chika, Chika!" it laughed joyfully glad to be out of its pokeball and meet its trainer for the first time.

"Hi, Chikorita. I'm Crystal, I'm your new trainer." She introduced herself warmly to the small dinosaur Pokemon.

"Chika!" it nodded back exuberant.

"Chikorita, ready for our journey to be the best team that Johto has ever seen?"

"Chikorita!" it said nodding along as Crystal smiled at her Pokemon before they started out experiencing her journey with her Chikorita.

TBC

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I'm back! What did you think of the chapter? Send your thoughs, bad or good, to me and I'll send up the fourth chapter. 


	2. Discovery at Mr Pokemon's

Hi, everyone! This is the second chapter for my new fic and I hope you like it. Bye!

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Discovery at Mr. Pokemon's

Crystal and Chikorita were strolling past the prickly tall grass heading towards Cherrygrove City trying to reach Mr. Pokemon's house. They past all the small Pokemon without them noticing and picked many small berries from the nearby trees. Crystal let Chikorita battle with some Rattatas and Sentrents during their adventurous trip. They were running along their way as Crystal looked down at her companion and said merrily, "This is great, isn't Chikorita?" The grass dinosaur cheered gleefully running through the tall grass beside her new trainer.

They continued their way across the vast plains until they found a wooden sign hanging on a nearby ledge. "What's this?" She wondered to herself running to the sign. Chikorita ran by her trainer's side as she looked at it and read it aloud for Chikorita to hear, "Cherrygrove City. The City of Cute, Fragrant Flowers." She looked to her right and saw the city bright and cheerful as it could ever be. "Wow! So, this must be Cherrygrove City. Beautiful, isn't Chikorita?" she glanced at her small leaf pokemon.

"Chika, chika!" it agreed nodding at her trainer.

They walked into the city limits and found the people walking around the city busily staring at the colorful flowers and playing in the field of flowers. "So beautiful." She said in awe watching the kids playing and the couples being lovey-dovey in their own way.

"Gorgeous, no?" a raspy, husky voice asked out of the sudden.

They both jumped surprised as Crystal turned around to see an old man standing there hunched over dressed in green clothing and a brown shawl wrapped around his shoulders. He rubbed his grisly beard that covered his face while he stepped to them slowly with his cane.

He laughed joyfully watching their confused, blank faces until he inquired the young trainer, "I'm guessing that you're a rookie trainer, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. My name is Crystal Higarashi; I'm from New Bark Town. This is Chikorita, my first Pokemon." She introduced herself and her companion.

The old man smiled at them both and spoke, "Well, you've got pretty good manners, that's for sure. If you like I can show you around the city and introduce you to important things you need to know to be a good trainer."

"Really? Could you please show us around?" she asked clasping her hands together with an eager face.

"Gladly. Come with me, then." He motioned them to follow him as he began to lead them around the city. He walked over to the red roofed building and stopped in front of it saying, "This is the Pokemon Center. This comes real handy to help heal your Pokemon when they're injured." He continued to walk until he ended up at the blue roofed building. "This is the Poke-Mart. They sell items that would help you on your journey whenever you need it." He walked more till he reached the road leading outside of the city.

"This is the Route 30. This leads trainers to Violet City and have other trainers that will be looking for a battle." He strolled over to the lake and he said, "This is the sea. Many Pokemon live there if you can find a way to catch them without drowning." He continued to stroll until he ended up in front of a wooden shack. "And this is my house. Ah, that was a good day spent! Anyway, here's a gift for the beginning of your journey!" He handed her a small microchip and she looked at him with a confused look. "That is a Map chip for your Pokegear. It will help you if you get lost on your way to your destination. Thank you for your time and goodbye." He left her and Chikorita alone and entered his house with them watching him.

Crystal smiled a little while she inserted the chip into her Pokegear and Chikorita watched her curiously. She put the Pokegear back into her backpack as she turned to her Pokemon and said, "We should head to the Pokemon Center and get you all healed up." It nodded gladly with a smile before it jumped into her arms and Crystal started to jog towards the Pokemon Center. When they reached the center, they went inside and found some trainers standing around chatting to each other. There was a long line from the doors all the way to the counter, where Nurse Joy was healing Pokemon with Chansey. "Wow, it's sure busy." She commented as she got into the long line and started to wait.

10 minutes later, they stood in line waiting patiently as the line kept moving slowly towards the counter. 30 minutes later, Crystal let out a small tired smile and her small grass Pokemon was having a hard time trying to stay awake, they haven't moved an inch. 79 minutes later, they were in the middle of the line with Crystal letting out a small yawn and Chikorita bobbing its head exhausted. 120 minutes later, they finally reached the counter as Crystal fell to her knees on the floor from fatigue and Chikorita was snoozing into its partner's arms.

"Next!" Nurse Joy's sweet voice rang loudly.

"Waah!" they both cried out surprised as they shot off the ground making everyone jump. They looked around to see people staring at them weirdly as they both blushed embarrassed. They looked at Nurse Joy, who was mostly amused, and found out that they were next. "Ah, we're next!" she exclaimed happily with her partner agreeing with her. She ran up to the counter with Chikorita and said to Nurse Joy, "I like my Chikorita to be healed."

Nurse Joy smiled kindly and said, "Sure thing, I'll heal your Chikorita for you."

"Chansey!" the pink egg Pokemon called out running towards Nurse Joy hysterically.

"What is it, Chansey?" she asked her worried.

"Chansey, Chan!" she pointed at the machine that heals Pokemon as it was smoking and begin to short-circuit with some electricity coming off the machine.

"Oh, my." She said staring at the machine. She turned to the curious duo and looked apologetic saying, "I'm sorry, but the Pokemon Healing 212 has malfunctioned. I guess you have to come tomorrow when the mechanic fixes it up again."

Their heads crashed onto the counter heavily disappointed with the nice nurse looked at them worried. "I can't believe this." Crystal whispered frustrated while Chikorita replied also frustrated, "Chika."

Nurse Joy continued to look concerned as they both lifted their heads from the counter and looked at the nurse. "I'm sorry that I can't heal your Chikorita for you." She apologized sadly bowing to both of them.

"Don't worry about it, Nurse Joy. Actually, I think Chikorita won't need to be healed since she is stronger than ever. Right, Chikorita?" she looked at her questioning partner.

"Chika!" she agreed nodding joyfully to her trainer.

The pink-haired nurse smiled back and said pleased, "That's good. Trainers and Pokemon are the best combination for a strong team."

"Right. I'll see you again, Nurse Joy. Thanks anyway." She bowed politely before she took off and left the center in a great rush.

Nurse Joy stared at the door where she left and said to herself and Chansey, "Those two have true potential just like Prof. Elm said. Someday, they'll be remembered to Pokemon trainers everywhere."

The two friends got out of the center and started their trip again and headed towards Route 30. They stopped when they found some trainers looking for a battle along the route. "It looks like we'll be pretty busy before we get to Mr. Pokemon's house." Crystal smiled excitedly to her small Pokemon.

Her Pokemon jumped out of her arms and cheered eagerly, "Chikorita!"

They began to battle the trainers all along the route as they won throughout all the battles. Crystal won some money from the defeated trainers as Chikorita gained experience and skills from her fights against other Pokemon. They continued their trip after their battling and walked through the tall grass that flooded the route. They had a hard time navigating through the sea of tall grass until they came to a clearing and found a house surrounded by trees everywhere.

"I wonder if that is Mr. Pokemon's house?" she wondered aloud to her companion.

"Chika?" it questioned confused.

She began to walk towards it as the small grass dinosaur bounded after her catching up. She stopped at the entrance and found a sign that read, 'Mr. Pokemon's House.' She turned to her pokemon and said relieved, "Well, this is the place after all." She walked towards the door and entered inside with her pokemon trailing after her.

They went inside to see a man wearing a black suit and a black hat over his brown hair sitting at the table drinking some coffee out of a mug waiting for someone. She saw another man with gray hair in a lab coat sitting at a computer typing furiously on the keyboard. The man in the black suit turned towards the door and saw Crystal and Chikorita standing at the door. His face put on a smile as he stood up and walked over to them both excitedly.

"Hello, hello! You must be Crystal." He said pleased and held out his hand.

"Yes, I'm Crystal Higarashi. You must be Mr. Pokemon." She took his hand and shook it politely.

"Yes, I am. Prof. Elm said that you would visit. Hold on a sec." he went to the back and searched through the drawers and cabinets before he pulled out a strange colored egg. He walked over to her and said holding the egg, "This is what I want Prof. Elm to examine." He handed her the mystery egg as she took and held it in her arms with Chikorita looking curiously at it.

"Is this an egg?" she asked looking at the egg amazed.

"Yes, I know a couple who run a Pokemon Day-Care service. They're the ones that gave me that egg. I was intrigued, so I sent mail to Prof. Elm. For Pokemon evolution, Prof. Elm is the authority." He turned to the gray-haired man and said, "Even Prof. Oak here recognizes that." He turned back to her as the gray-haired man turned to them when he heard his man and continued saying, "If my assumption is correct, Prof. Elm will know it."

After he said that, the gray-haired man stood up and walked over to them both and faced Crystal. His face turned surprised as he spoke thrilled, "Aha! So, you're Crystal! I'm Oak! A Pokemon researcher."

"Professor Oak? Oh, yeah! You're the one with Mary on the radio!" She exclaimed knowing who he is.

"Yes, I do that in my spare time."

"So, what are you doing here?" she asked curious to know what he was doing.

"I was just visiting my old friend Mr. Pokemon." He smiled at his old friend and continued talking, "I heard you were running an errand for Prof. Elm, so I waited here."

He looked at Chikorita, who stood by her trainer, and exclaimed, "Oh! What's this? A rare Pokemon!" He walked towards it and bended down to look at it. "Let's see…Hmm, I see!" He stood up and faced towards Crystal again. "I understand why Prof. Elm gave you a Pokemon for this errand." Crystal sent him a puzzled look as he laughed a little and explained thoroughly, "To researchers like Prof. Elm and I, Pokemon are our friends. He saw that you would treat your Pokemon with love and care." He stopped and put his hand to his chin in thought with Crystal, Mr. Pokemon, and Chikorita watching him. He continued thinking until he suddenly spoke, "…Ah! You seem to be dependable. How would you like to help me out?"

She looked delighted as she asked excited, "Really?" "Sure thing!"

He pulled out a small red machine and showed it to her. "See? This is the latest version of Pokedex. It automatically records data on Pokemon that you see. It's a hi-tech encyclopedia!" He gave her the Pokedex and she took it from him. "Go meet many kinds of Pokemon and complete that Pokedex! But I've stayed too long. I have to get to Goldenrod for my usual radio show. Crystal, I'm counting on you!" He shot out the door without looking back leaving them all in their spots.

Mr. Pokemon stepped up to her and inquired, "You are returning to Prof. Elm?"

Crystal nodded slowly as she replied shortly, "Yes, I have to return to New Bark Town before it gets dark."

He nodded understandingly before he looked to see them both extremely tired from their trip. "Here. Your Pokemon should have some rest. You two look like you're about to drop any moment now."

Crystal looked to her companion and saw that she was about to drop too. She laughed a little before she agreed, "I guess you're right." He nodded smiling at the young trainer before he showed them to the blue, soft, comfortable-looking couch at the back. She lay across the sofa with her pokemon lying beside her with Mr. Pokemon turning back to his work.

10 minutes later of a long and peaceful nap, Crystal woke up and sat up from the blue couch rubbing her eyes. Chikorita began to wake and slowly stood up from its position. Crystal grabbed her pokemon and the backpack that contained the mystery egg and held it in her arms as she walked over to Mr. Pokemon. He stopped working on his papers and looked up to see Crystal standing beside him.

"Oh, you're up. You must be really tired."

She nodded as she started to say, "I best be going home and deliver the egg to Prof. Elm."

He nodded before he stood up and smiled at her saying, "Crystal, I'm depending on you!"

She smiled back and thanked him, "Thanks for your help. See you later, Mr. Pokemon!"

She rocketed out of the door and towards the outside to see that the sun is heading for the horizon. "Wow, it's beginning to set." She said watching the orange sun going through its course. Her backpack began to vibrate hysterically as she bended down and Chikorita jumped out of her arms. She pulled the backpack off her back and took her Pokegear out to see that someone is calling her. She pulled the phone out and answered, "Hello?"

"H-hello? Crystal? It's a disaster!" Prof. Elm's terrified voice answered the call.

"Prof. Elm? What's the matter?" she asked worriedly with her pokemon looking concerned.

"Um, um, it's just terrible! What should I do? It…Oh, no…Please get back here now!" he screamed horrified making her winced from his loud voice.

He hung up leaving her to look at her Pokegear troubled with Chikorita asking, "Chika? Chika?"

She stopped spacing and looked at it saying, "We should get back now." She put the Pokegear back in the bag and set it on her back while Chikorita jumped into her arms. She dashed towards back Cherrygrove City jumping over ledges and avoiding tall grass trying to get back home. Scared thoughts ran through her head while she leapt over the last ledge and sprinted towards the cheerful city. She went inside the city and turned the corner to run towards Route 29.

TBC

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That's the end. How did you like it? I'm working on the next chapter, so I'll see you around. 


	3. Silver

Hello! This is the new chapter and I like your opinion on who should be paired up with Crystal? Anyone can do. I hope you'll enjoy this!

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Silver

She reached the city limits and turned around the corner when she crashed into someone and fell to the ground on her butt with Chikorita in her arms. She looked across to see the same red-haired boy she encountered back in New Bark Town. She saw full view of him and saw what he wore. He wore a black jacket with a red outline with silver cargo pants and black and red combat boots.

"You!" she exclaimed shocked pointing at the mysterious boy in front of her.

He looked across and saw the same meddling girl he saw snooping back in New Bark. "You!" he spoke glaring at the blue-haired girl.

They both stood up slowly and faced each other with him glaring at her and her looking at him. He saw Chikorita settling comfortably in her arms before he spoke coldly, "You got a Pokemon at the Lab."

"That's right." She smiled with Chikorita smiling with a little pride.

He smirked at her attitude before he scoffed and turned his head away, "What a waste. A wimp like you."

They both gave a frown as she yelled a little mad, "What did you say?!"

He glanced back at her with his cold silver eyes that pierced through her mind and said, "Don't you get what I'm saying? Well, I too, have a good Pokemon." With that, he pulled out a pokeball from his pocket and juggled it in one hand.

"What does that have to do with anything?" she questioned his little theory with Chikorita supporting her.

He stopped juggling his pokeball and yelled coolly and out of sudden, "I'll show you what I mean!"

He threw his pokeball out as it hit the ground and popped open showing a small blue and yellow mouse with flames sticking out of his back. "Cyndaquil!" it cried out excited to be in a battle.

'_Isn't that the same Cyndaquil from Prof. Elm's lab?' _she thought staring at the fire mouse pokemon. "If that's what you want! Chikorita, you're up." She told her pokemon as it nodded with excitement and hopped out of her arms and facing towards its opponent.

He smirked at her and questioned, "You let a grass-type pokemon go against a fire-type pokemon?"

"It doesn't matter how the odds end up. What matters is how you love and trust your pokemon!" she retorted back determined along with her companion.

"Whatever." He sneered looking amused at her little saying. "Cyndaquil, use Tackle now!" he ordered making his pokemon start charging towards the leaf.

Chikorita stood her ground until Crystal shouted, "Chikorita, dodge and use your Razor Leaf!" Chikorita jump to the side from Cyndaquil when it tried to attack and sent sharp leaves flying towards it from her leaf. The fire mouse was pushed back hurt and wounded from the attack as Chikorita landed on the ground.

He growled in annoyance as he commanded, "Now, use your Tackle!" It started to rush towards the Chikorita again with some determination to please its trainer.

Crystal thought a plan up quickly before she called out, "Jump in the air!" Chikorita leapt in the air above Cyndaquil hovering over the confused fire mouse. "Tackle!" Chikorita stopped and flew towards the unsuspected Cyndaquil, who stopped and looked up at it. The leaf pokemon smashed against the fire mouse pokemon letting it rolled away more scratched than ever. Chikorita jumped back in front of Crystal as Cyndaquil lay on the ground injured.

"Stand up!" Silver yelled coldly to it.

The poor Cyndaquil tried to stand up with all its might, but sadly fell back down unconscious. "Humph. Are you happy you've won?" He frowned at them while saying this. She let out a huge smile along with Chikorita and they jumped in joy. He gritted his teeth as Crystal and Chikorita cheered from their victory.

"We won!" Crystal cheered happily while Chikorita jumped back into her arms and she spun around with her partner.

Silver walked over to the fallen pokemon and kicked it in the side badly saying, "You weakling."

She stopped spinning and saw what he did to his pokemon. She turned towards him again and shouted at him, "Hey, you don't do that to your pokemon! Why would you do such a thing?" He ignored her as he recalled Cyndaquil back into its pokeball and pocketed in his pants.

He started walk towards Cherrygrove until she blocked his way asking, "Hey! What's your name?"

He looked at her coolly and replied uncaring, "My name's Silver. I'm going to the world's greatest Pokemon trainer." He pushed her aside as he raced towards the city in a hurry leaving her in the dust.

They both coughed from the excessive dust as Crystal was on her butt on the ground again. "He's fast." She commented amazed staring into Cherrygrove City. _"But also a jerk." _She stood up quick and said, "Now, we have to get to New Bark Town quick and find out what's going on!"

"Chika!" Chikorita agreed putting its hand up in the air.

She sped off jumping off ledges, avoiding any unnecessary battles, and passing away from the grass heading towards her hometown. She arrived at New Bark Town to see the townspeople all bundled up around the entrance of the Prof. Elms Lab. "Why is everyone there?" she questioned curiously as she stepped up towards the crowd with her pokemon in hand.

She got to the crowd and tried to look through, but couldn't. "What could have happened?" she asked the pokemon in her arms puzzled.

"Chika?" it shook its head unknowingly.

"Crystal!" a familiar voice called out.

They turned to the right and saw Gold running towards them with a serious expression. "Gold!" she called out waving at him. He stopped in front of them as he took his time to breathe. "What's going on, Gold? Why is everyone crowding around the lab?" she asked her childhood friend worriedly.

He stood up again and replied to her, "I don't know much, but Prof. Elm would tell you more. Let's go." He took hold of her hand and began to lead her through the harsh crowd. They passed through the crowd and ended up at the door where two policemen guarded the door. Gold went up to one of them and said, "Gold and Crystal are here to meet Prof. Elm." The policeman nodded before he opened the door for them without hesitation.

They went inside the lab to see Prof. Elm with another police officer and his assistant fixing the broken window. He let go of her hand while she walked up towards the two with Gold following behind her.

The police officer turned his attention to Crystal leaving the fear-stricken professor to stand there. "I heard a Pokemon was stolen here." He began to say to the bluenette trainer.

"A Pokemon was stolen?" she asked the officer worried.

"Yes, I was just getting some information from Prof. Elm. Apparently, it was a young male with long, red hair." He read the information off his notepad he carried in his hand.

"A young male with long, red hair?" she said to herself until she remembered Silver she battled earlier flashed in her mind. "Oh! I battled a guy like that!" she said aloud remembering him.

"What? You battled a trainer like that? Did you happen to get his name?" he interrogated her flipping his notepad and began to write.

"Yes, he said his name is Silver." She replied still holding her pokemon, who looked confused.

He finished writing down the info before he said, "Ok! So Silver was his name." he held the pad to his side and saluted to her saying, "Thanks for helping my investigation!" He walked off and exited the lab leaving the two to look at the door.

They looked at the professor and saw that he was still struck with fear still. "He must be terrified." Gold commented looking at the frozen professor.

Crystal walked up to Prof. Elm and touched him questioning, "Professor?"

He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to the young bluenette and said, "Crystal, this is terrible…" He changed his mind as he began to focus on the other issue. "Oh, yes, what was Mr. Pokemon's big discovery?"

"Well…" she began to say as she fished the egg out of her bag, "It's this." She held out the mysterious green spotted egg out towards the Professor and he took it intrigued.

He jumped back a bit shocked and said disbelieved, "This? But…Is it a Pokemon Egg?" he examined the egg and continued to say, "If it is, it is a great discovery!"

He began to jump happily around the room like a rabbit as Gold whispered to Crystal, "Now, he went nuts."

She giggled a bit as Prof. Elm jumped back to his former position and smiled big towards the two young teens. He glanced at Crystal and saw the Pokedex pocketed in her pocket. "What?!?" he cried out surprised scaring the two of their wits. He took the Pokedex and held it to his face questioning, "Prof. Oak gave you a Pokedex? Crystal, is that true?"

"Yes, he gave it to me at Mr. Pokemon's." she answered truthfully.

"Th-that's incredible! He is superb at seeing the potential of people as trainers. Wow, Crystal. You many have what it takes to become the Champion."

"Wow, a champion!" she whispered in awe with Gold looking at her curious.

He looked at Chikorita and noticed it getting along with her too, " You seem to be getting on great with Pokemon, too. You should take the Pokemon Gym challenge. The closest Gym would be the one in Violet City."

"Violet City?" she wondered to herself quietly.

He stopped before he turned around and faced the wall saying, "…Crystal. The road to the championship will be a long one." He turned around again and faced her saying, "Before you leave, make sure that you talk to your mom."

"I will." She nodded understanding what he meant.

He turned to see Gold there standing next to Crystal unnoticed. "Oh, Gold! I didn't notice you there. Nice to see you again." He said smiling at the confused boy.

"Nice to see you again, Prof Elm." He said back rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Prof. Elm glanced at the table to see the only pokeball sitting there and a thought struck his head. He turned back to the boy and asked, "Gold, do you want to be a pokemon trainer?"

He saw the boy's face lit up with hope as he said, "More than anything!"

"Well, I only have one pokemon left and I think it will suit you perfectly as your partner." He said as he took the ball and gave it to a surprised Gold.

Gold examined the pokeball absorbed the fine, creative ball like a boy with a small toy as Crystal smiled at his childish behavior. "I like to see my first partner. Go!" he threw his pokeball as it hit the ground and popped to reveal a small blue crocodile pokemon.

"Totodile!" it cried out happy to get out of that ball.

"Aw! It's cute!" she squealed at Totodile.

Chikorita nudged her in the chest saying with much jealously, "Chika!"

She looked at her pokemon and smiled at her envious pokemon and said, "But you're way more cuter, Chikorita!" It smiled back as it cuddled right up to her chest.

"It's so cool!" Gold exclaimed happily picking up Totodile and hugging closely which made Totodile cheerful.

"Totodile!" it said hugging his partner back.

Prof. Elm watched the two trainers get along with their pokemon and said, "See, that's why you two are worthy of becoming Pokemon trainers. But now, you two should be getting home before your mothers start to worry."

Gold stopped and looked worried saying, "You're right! I forgot that I have to help mom with dinner tonight! See you later, Crystal! Bye, Professor!" With that he ran off holding his first pokemon to his chest and leaving the lab.

Crystal looked at back at the professor and bowed saying, "Bye, Professor Elm. See you!" She ran off heading towards the door before Prof. Elm's assistant stopped her from leaving the lab.

"Oh, Crystal! You'll need these for your big journey!" he said handing her five pokeballs helpfully.

"Oh, that's wonderful! Thank you!" she took them and pocketed them into her bag where they were kept safe.

"You know? While we were researching on the theory of evolution, we heard a loud noise outside and we ran to see what it was. During that time, that kid came in and stole the pokeball that Cyndaquil was held in. We went back inside and found him standing there with one of the pokeballs. He pushed us aside and escaped before we got the chance to take it back." He told the story laughing a bit at the end embarrassed.

"Really?" she sounded intrigued at hearing the whole story.

"Right, I hope they'll help you on your Pokemon Quest." He said smiling at her before she smiled back and left the lab and headed towards home.

She ran over to her house carrying her Chikorita until she stopped outside of the house and entered inside calmly. She looked to see her mom standing at the stove busy cooking up some burgers in her usual pink dress. "I'm home!" she called walking over to her mother.

Her mom stopped cooking and glanced over her shoulder before she twirled around and warmly smiled at her. "Welcome home, honey. I hope you're hungry. I made some Cinnabar Burgers for dinner tonight!" she said to her blue-haired daughter.

"That's great, Mom! I'm so hungry!" she exclaimed cheerful as Chikorita cheered, "Chika!"

Her mom looked at her pokemon curiously and walked up towards her observing the leaf pokemon. "Wow, that's a cute pokemon." She said rubbing Chikorita's head with her hand, which made the pokemon really happy. She stopped stroking its head and asked curiously, "Where did you get it?"

Crystal sighed a little before she said, "Well, Mom, it's a long story, but it goes like this…" She began to explain Prof. Elm's favor, getting Chikorita, traveling to Mr. Pokemon's house, battling Silver, returning home, and telling her what Prof. Elm told her to her Mom. They stood silent staring at each other while Crystal was trying to find out what her mom was thinking about.

"So, you're leaving on an adventure…" she broke the deaf silence with that.

Crystal hung her head guilty a little as she replied, "Yes, Mom."

Out of sudden, Mom clasped her hands together in happiness smiling big exclaiming, "OK! I'll help too."

Crystal lifted her head in surprise and looked at her happy mom. "What? I thought you're sad about me leaving you."

"What? No, I'm happy for you! You're going on a big journey with your Pokemon, experiencing things that will bring you happiness. Why would I be sad about that?" she put her hands on her daughter's shoulders.

"Really?" she asked her mother shocked.

"Yes! But what can I do for you?" she took her hands off of her and began to think with a hand to her chin. She snapped her fingers with an idea and said, "I know! I'll save money for you."

"Money?" Crystal questioned confused.

"Sure, on a long journey, money's important. Do you want me to save your money?"

"Sure, why not!" she replied glad that her mom was supporting her.

"Ok, I'll take care of your money. Now, the Cinnabar Burgers are ready. Crystal, set up the table for me, would you?" she asked her daughter as she began to go back to her burgers. Crystal began to set the table with Chikorita's help and they all sat down and ate delicious burgers. Hours later, Crystal and her mom were watching TV on the couch with Chikorita sitting on the mat in front of them. They were watching the Pokemon battles that were being held in the Pokemon League in Johto. "I have to say that Lance fellow is impressive." Her mom commented watching Lance battle with his Dragonite against a fellow trainer's Gastly.

"Right." Crystal agreed watching the moves the pokemon made and Lance commanding his pokemon bravely.

The TV suddenly turned off as Crystal snapped out and looked to see her Mom holding the remote control. "Alright, Crystal, it's time for bed." She told her young daughter standing next to her.

"What? Already?" she whined sitting on the blue couch with the pleading look.

"That's right. You have a journey to take tomorrow and you should be prepare and get some rest before the day begins." She advised the rookie trainer with a smile.

"But…" she started to say.

"No buts. It's time for bed, Crystal Higarashi." She said again looking at her seriously before walking away and went to bed.

Crystal let out a huge disappointed sigh before she picked up the puzzled Chikorita and said, "Time for bed, Chikorita." She climbed up the stairs and slipped under the covers with the lights off with Chikorita sleeping next to her head ready for their big quest.

TBC

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That's the end. How did you like it? The next chapter is coming up! 


	4. Violet City

Hi! This is the new chapter for this story. Thanks for reading it and I'm grateful for that. Thank you. Now, on with the story.

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Violet City

The next morning, Crystal was up and ready for her big journey dressed in her same traveling clothes she wore yesterday and stretched her arms out. Chikorita watched her while sitting on the bed until Crystal turned around and said, "Alright, Chikorita. Today's the big today."

"Chika! Chika!" she nodded excited to see the world.

She remembered something and went to her red backpack bending down fishing for something. "Here we go!" she said pulling out the Pokedex that Prof. Oak gave to her yesterday. She stood up and turned to Chikorita saying, "Let's try this out!"

She flipped the lid and a picture of Chikorita appeared with a female computerized voice saying, "Chikorita. The Leaf Pokemon. Chikorita loves to bask in the sunlight and uses it leaf to seek out warm places."

"Cool!" she said amazed at the small device as it kept piling information onto the screen. She laughed a little making Chikorita cock its head to the side puzzled. "It says here you're a girl pokemon. And that's really awesome!" She giggled a bit as she closed it and pocketed it into her pocket. "Ready to see the world?" she asked her determined to explore.

"Chika!" she squealed happily ready also. Chikorita jumped into her arms as Crystal ran out of her room with her yellow organized backpack and headed downstairs where she saw her mom waiting for her. "Morning, Mom!" she greeted her cheerfully running down the stairs.

"Morning, sweetheart."

She stopped in front of her mom as she stood silently looking at her baby for the very last time. "Crystal." She spoke suddenly. Her head popped towards her as she continued, "Be careful. Pokemon are your friends. You need to work as a team."

"Mom." Crystal smiled at her mom with Chikorita in her arms.

"Now, go on! Go on your big quest! I'm behind you all the way!" she encouraged for her daughter as she gave her a big hug before Crystal ran to the door and turned around.

"Don't you worry, Mom! I'll come back! As the greatest Pokemon trainer that is!"

With that, she left her house and ran towards the city limits before she saw Gold standing there with Totodile next to him. She stopped in front of him while he greeted carefree, "Hi, Crystal! You know you kept me waiting there!"

"Gold? What are you doing here?" she asked her friend confused.

"I'm going on a Pokemon journey with Totodile here." He pointed to his blue crocodile pokemon.

"Totodile!" it said posing with lots of pride.

"Really? Oh, that reminds me!" she pulled out her Pokedex and flipped open its lid as it said, "Totodile. The Big Jaw Pokemon. This rough critter chomps at any moving object it sees. Turning your back on it is not recommended."

"Wow!" Gold got suddenly interested in it. "You got a Pokedex!"

"Yeah, from Prof. Oak." She said pocketing her Pokedex back into her pocket.

"So do I!" he said showing her his new Pokedex too.

"Where did you get one so suddenly, Gold?" she asked curious.

"Prof. Elm gave it to me saying that Prof. Oak sent one more to him to give it to another trainer. And that happens to be me!" he pocketed his into his pocket too.

She nodded to him before she bended down to Totodile's eye level and hugged it tight squealing, "Ah! She's so cute!"

"It's NOT a SHE! It's a HE!" he pointed upset to his bluenette friend.

She stopped embracing him and turned to him saying, "Whatever. Besides, he's cute!"

"Totodile!" he exclaimed happy to be hugged like that.

She put the small blue crocodile down and turned to Gold with a sincere expression. "Anyway, I'm going to take the Pokemon Gym Challenge. What are you going to do, Gold?" she asked wanting to know what he wants to do.

"Well, I'm thinking of taking some Gym battles and become a breeder also." He answered straight out proud of himself.

"Really? So, you're going to take on the Gym Challenge after all?" she asked hoping that he would say yes.

"Sure thing! In fact, I'm going to be traveling with you until we beat the Violet City Gym Leader." " He exclaimed flashing her with one of his smiles before he got tackled by the bluenette herself.

"That's awesome! It would be cool to travel with you again just like old times!" she cheered swinging herself around Gold while he became completely dizzy from the spin.

She stopped and jumped off of him as he fell to the ground lightheaded and a little sick. "Gold! Are you okay?!" she gasped bending down towards him with the other two pokemon giggling behind them.

She pulled his shirt picking him off the ground a little while he mumbled deliriously and drooled a bit. "Gold, wake up!" she called out to him shaking him in process. He continued to mumble out stupidly while she let out a big defeated sigh until an idea popped into her head.

"Totodile!" she called glancing at the blue crocodile pokemon.

"Toto?" He questioned walking over to her with Chikorita with curious interest.

"Totodile, can you use your Water Gun to wake up Gold?" she asked him nicely.

"Totodile!" he agreed nodding happy to be of service before he spurted water out of his mouth and splashed Gold's face.

"What?!…. Why am I wet?" he snapped out and questioned aloud looking at his wet clothes.

"Sorry, but we had to use Totodile's Water Gun to wake you up." Crystal's face became light pink as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. They both stood up as Gold shook himself dry while Crystal shielded herself from the flying water.

"Why are we wasting our time when we could go to Violet City now?" he said determined to go to the big city.

"You're right! Come on, Chikorita! Let's get going!" she looked down to her small pokemon before they charged down the route leaving Gold to call out running with Totodile behind them, "Hey! Wait up, Crystal!"

They ran down the small dirt trail challenging other trainers and earning some little money before they reached Cherrygrove City. They stopped in the middle of the city as they took deep breaths from the long run from their hometown to here. "Well, this is Cherrygrove City." Gold said looking around the city interested.

"Yep, this is my third time here." She stated looking at the cheerful town.

He turned to look at her and asked, "How long till we reach Violet City?"

"It's not long from here. If we continue like this, it could only take a day." She told him looking at him back.

He started to think while she looked to see Chikorita and Totodile talking to each other like they're best buddies. "Right! We should get to Violet City and then, we could grab a bite before we hit the Gym." He concluded smashing his closed fist into his open palm.

"Okay," they both turned to their pokemon as she asked, "Ready to go?" They both replied happily nodding towards their trainers.

They began their run again on small route heading towards Violet City passing through the tall grass and battling new trainers they met today. When they passed the trees, ledges, and rocks, they found an opening and ran inside to find themselves standing in front of a big building. "What is that?" she asked confused and curious.

"It's an entry building to Violet City. They have these around in every city and town. They have these around so no criminals could go in or out of town." He explained acting like he's smart.

"Wow. I can't believe we got to the city so quick. We have some time before lunch. How about doing some training before we find somewhere to eat?" she turned to her partner and smiled at his way.

"Yeah, I think Totodile needs a little training. I heard that the Violet City Gym Leader is a pretty tough opponent."

"The Gym Leader, huh? What kind of pokemon does he have?" she questioned her close friend.

"He battles with bird pokemon. He inherited some of his dad's famous bird pokemon and most of them defeated a lot of trainers." He answered looking at his friend.

"Bird pokemon…I guess Chikorita is going to have a hard time with them since she is a grass pokemon." She glanced at Chikorita, who looked down in shame. "But he should watch out, because we're going to beat him with a grass-type!" she cheered making Chikorita cheer along.

Gold and Totodile watched them cheer loudly before he piped in, "If you want to beat Falkner, I suggest we should start training right away."

They stopped in their cheer and turned to him letting Crystal say, "You're right. We should start training."

The two trainers and their pokemon ran into the tall grass and went to search for a great training spot. Gold and Crystal separated with their pokemon and tried to search for a place to train for the big gym challenge. "Did you find one?" Crystal called standing in the tall grass to the west.

"Nope! Did you?" he called back in the Far East.

"Nothing!" They continued searching making the tall grass rustle along the way.

Gold moved to the north unaware of his surroundings before he bumped his head into an unsuspected tree and landed right on top of poor Totodile. "OUCH!!" he cried out pained from a big red lump on his head.

"What wrong?" she asked worriedly standing in the south.

"It's nothing. I just bumped into a tree." He replied standing up from the ground letting Totodile catch his breath.

She giggled at his clumsiness before she continued her search for a spot until she ran into an opening in the central part and tripped to the ground onto her knees with Chikorita bounding up to her. She lifted her head and scanned the area to see a clear opening surrounded with tall grass, big enough for both to train. She stood up and called loudly, "Gold! Gold, where are you?" She heard silence before she heard some struggling far away until it became silent again. "Gold?" she began to worry over her friend while Chikorita looked around for the certain trainer.

"Crystal?" she heard Gold called out.

"Gold? I found a good training spot in the central area! Get over here, so we can train."

"I can't!" A look of confusion crossed her face as she asked, "Why?"

"I fell over a ledge and I can't get up!" he cried out helplessly.

"Fell? Isn't Totodile with you?"

"He's with me, but he's under me, unconscious." She let out a small sigh before she told her pokemon,

"Chikorita, you stay here and guard this place while I help Gold out."

"Chika." She acknowledged it with a nod before Crystal ran into the tall grass to help her partner. Chikorita strolled over to the middle of the opening and laid down resting her head on the ground.

A while later, Chikorita was still sleeping on the ground until she heard a noise and stood to see what it is. Out came Crystal carrying Gold through the grass with Totodile on her back fainted from being pressured under Gold's back again. "Here we are." She said laying Gold down on his behind while she put Totodile next to him.

"Thanks, Crystal." He thanked her while rubbing his pokemon's head.

"You're welcome." She said sitting next to him and stroked Chikorita's head gently.

Totodile woke up from its unconscious state and looked puzzled to his trainer. "Toto?" he questioned confused.

Gold noticed his pokemon was awake and said relieved, "Totodile, you're awake!" He hugged his pokemon tight before he asked concerned, "Are you up to some training?" He nodded excitedly and bounded into the middle of the clearing ready to train as Chikorita ran with Totodile and waited for some training.

She laughed a little and turned to him saying, "I guess they're ready."

He nodded to her with a smile, "Right." They stood and walked over to the two pokemon and began their long training against each other.

After 38 minutes of harsh, long training, the two trainers carried their pokemon as they left their training area and entered the entry building on their way into Violet City. They passed the counter where a police officer was working on his paperwork and walked by a girl calling her mother on her Pokegear. They walked outside to see a big city filled with energetic people and houses along the river making Crystal gasped in awe. "It's beautiful."

"So, this is Violet City." He pondered to himself before he turned to the sign next that read, "Violet City. The City of Nostalgic Scents."

Crystal's Pokegear began to vibrate on her chest while she lifted it up to her eyes. She looked at the I.D. caller and glanced to Gold saying, "It's my Mom." He nodded as she pulled her Pokegear to her mouth and answered, "Hey, Mom."

"_Hi, Honey! Where are you at?"_ her mom's cheery voice entered through her ear.

"We're in Violet City."

"_We?"_ her voice was filled with confusion and a bit of suspicion.

"Yes, Gold went with me to Violet City."

"Gold, huh? I just talked to his mom and she told me that he left New Bark Town. I didn't know he went with you. While you're there, you should visit Sprout Tower."

"Sprout Tower?"

"_Yes, Sprout Tower is a tower in Violet City that let trainers train their pokemon and built after the Pokemon, Bellsprout. They say that if you reach the top of the tower and battle the head trainer there, they'll teach your pokemon a really helpful move that will be useful in your journey."_

"That sounds cool! I'm sure we'll be over there after we beat the Gym Leader first." She said watching Gold run around the city playing with Totodile and Chikorita.

"The Gym Leader? Oh, I know whom you're talking about. He's so tough to deal with, honey. You best be prepared when facing him, sweetheart."

"Sounds good. I have to discuss it with Gold, though. You know how stubborn and hard-headed he is."

"_Oh, I know!"_ she laughed loudly on the phone as Gold stopped playing with the pokemon and looked at her curiously.

"What's so funny?" he asked with a playful smile.

"It's nothing." She waved off still holding the receiver before she went back to talking to her mom. "Anyway, Mom, I better go. It'll be dark before this conversation is over."

"_You're right, Crystal. I have to cook dinner now. Remember, call me soon!" _

"I will! Bye!" She heard her mom hung up before she put up the receiver back on her Pokegear.

She closed her bag tight until Gold and their pokemon walked over to her. "Hey, Crystal, let's say we head to the Pokemon Center and feed our pokemon and get ourselves something to eat." He suggested pointing at the red-roofed building.

"Sure." She nodded with a smile while they walked over to the center and went inside.

After the pokemon were healed, Crystal and Gold was sitting on a long, purple-cushioned chair watching their companions chow down on their pokemon feed in their bowls. Totodile was gulping down his food hungrily while Chikorita ate quickly as if she was trying to race the crocodile across her. "They are sure hungry." He commented watching his pokemon eat.

"They sure are." She agreed sitting next to him.

He stood up from the chair and turned to her, "I'm going to the nearest diner and get us something to eat."

"Okay. Be back soon." He dashed to the outside with her waving goodbye.

She continued to sat there and looked around to see the other trainers playing with their pokemon until a teenage boy walked up to her and asked politely, "Is this seat taken?"

She looked up to see a blue-haired teenager wearing a light blue jacket with a dark blue shirt underneath and light blue pants with a belt. "No, it isn't taken." She said scooting over to allow him to sit.

"Thank you." He thanked her as he sat next to her.

They sat silently while Crystal watched over her pokemon and the mysterious boy looked around bored tapping his sock-covered sandals. She took a glance from the corner of her eyes and saw some of his short blue hair covered his right blue eye.

Crystal sighed quietly before she broke the silence asking, "Are you here for your Pokemon to be healed?"

He turned to her surprised and replied nervously, "Yeah, I got a lot of challengers today that wanted to beat me, but they were defeated."

"Wow, you must be pretty strong." She said amazed at his talent.

"No, it's not me. It's my team that deserves credit. They battle long and hard to be where they are today." He said looking outside to see the trainers play with their pokemon nearby.

She put a lot of though into what he said until he asked shyly, "What brings you to Violet City?"

She turned to him to see him smiling at her before she answered with a reddish face, "Oh, me and my friend are here to go challenge the Gym Leader and head to Sprout Tower."

A look of interest crossed his face as he smiled more saying, "I see. Everyone says that he is certainly strong with Pokemon." He glanced at the two pokemon chomping at their food and turned back to her and asked, "Which one is yours?"

"Oh, my pokemon is Chikorita." She pointed her trusty partner out to the teenage boy.

"Hmmm…" he thought to himself leaving Crystal to watch him confused. "Do you think Chikorita could stand up to the Gym Leader's bird pokemon?" he asked her opinion while watching her from the corner of his eyes.

"Sure! Chikorita could take on anything if she wants to. I have confidence in her as well as my trust." She replied pretty confident starling the boy and the pokemon. She looked around to see everyone staring at her before she sat back down red as a tomato.

He chuckled at her antics while she tried to calm down. "Don't worry, I think you can beat the Gym Leader too. In fact, I think you could beat anyone if you put your heart into it along with your pokemon."

She turned to him astonished while he looked at her big blue eyes. "Um…thanks." She was speechless after that.

"Number 92392, your pokemon is ready." Nurse Joy announced over the intercom.

"That's my team. I better go. I'll see you later." He said standing up and walking away towards the counter.

She sat there speechless until she remembered something. She jumped up from the chair and called out to him, "Wait!" He turned to her with a surprised look as she asked, "I forgot! I'm Crystal Higarashi of New Bark Town. What's your name?"

He gave a small smile to her and answered, "My name's Falkner. Nice to meet you, Crystal. I hope we'll see each other soon, but maybe we will." He walked off leaving her to watch him leave and the starter pokemon watched her puzzled.

She sat back down and petted Chikorita and Totodile both friendly on the head until Gold came running up carrying a plastic bag with two plastic containers. "Hey, Crystal! I got the food!" he called out to the spaced-out girl.

She snapped out of her thoughts and spun to see Gold coming towards them. He sat down next to her and handed her a plastic container from the bag. "Here." He said giving her the container before she took it and he pulled out his. She opened it to see a delicious burger with steamy fries and tasty coleslaw in the container.

"Hey, where's the-?" She spun to Gold and stopped when a big cup was shoved in front of her face.

He gave a small grin and poked two straws into the same cup letting her watch quiet. He grabbed the hold of his straw in his mouth and began to sip as motioned her to do the same. She blushed a little before she shyly took the straw by the mouth and sipped slowly. They both turned their heads away embarrassed with their pokemon giggling at their awkward 'moment' as they began to eat their dinner silently embarrassed to speak to each other.

Later that night, they rented two rooms to stay for the night as they both went to their rooms while the Pokemon Center was closing down. Crystal changed into her usual night attire and jumped into bed with Chikorita. She stretched her muscles out ready to hit the hay while she glanced at all her clothes and her backpack that sat on the table nearby. She looked outside to the moon shining down on them through her window.

"What a day! Tomorrow, we're going to challenge the Gym Leader and then, head to the Sprout Tower." She said to herself noticing that her pokemon was asleep already. She slid into bed and fell asleep the moment she hit the pillow readied to take on anything.

TBC

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How did you like? The next chapter is coming up. Bye. 


	5. Falkner, The Elegant Master of Flying

Hello. Here's the new chapter just as I promised. Thanks for reading and maybe reviewing for my story. See ya.

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Falkner, The Elegant Master of Flying Pokemon

It was the next morning in Violet City; the two rookie trainers were wide-awake and readied to start their day along with their pokemon. Crystal was gussying up in her rented room brushing her dark blue hair with her hairbrush. Chikorita was sitting on the bed watching her trainer look in the mirror.

As the bluenette put her star earrings in her ears, Gold bashed through the door eagerly with Totodile in his arms. "Hey, Crystal, are you ready? We should start heading for the Gym, and then head for Sprout Tower." He said anxious to go.

"Just a minute." She said putting on her sneakers and picked up her backpack. She walked over to the bed as Chikorita hopped into her arms happily. She turned to Gold and said, "Okay, I'm ready to go."

"Good, we should get going." He said nodding to her before they raced out, gave the keys back to Nurse Joy, and dashed out of the center. They turned right and went through the center of the city until they saw a spiral building appearing before them. "There it is! Violet City Gym!" Gold exclaimed excited to battle the Gym Leader. They stopped at the front of the building and looked at its design fascinated.

"So, this is a Gym, huh?" she said observing the huge building in front of them.

"Yep, this is it." He said holding an amazed Totodile in his arms. Gold started to walk towards the building leaving Crystal to trail after him behind with Chikorita in her arms.

They entered the Gym to see multiple birdcages hanging from the ceiling and a huge arena in the middle of the room. "This looks kind of creepy." Gold said looking at the empty wired birdcages creped out.

Crystal looked around the room and found no soul anywhere in the entire room. "Gold? Who exactly are we suppose to challenge?" she glanced at him confused.

He looked away from the birdcages and looked at her. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. The Gym Leader is a guy named Falkner." He replied smiling at her.

She jumped shocked at his answer and thought to herself, _"Could he be the __same__ Falkner from last night?!"_

Gold glanced at her and saw her astonished state and asked concerned, "Hey, are you okay?"

She snapped out of her thoughts and gave a small nervous smile saying, "I'm fine."

They heard a large doors open and turned to the doors across the room to see Falkner holding the doors open wide with Pidgey on his shoulder. "There's Falkner!" he whispered to her pointing towards him. She gulped when she saw that it was the very same Falkner from last night.

Falkner walked towards the center of the room with Pidgey pecking its old feathers out. He stopped and looked to see the two trainers staring at him amazed. "Ah, you must be new here." He said strolling over toward the rookie trainers. He stopped his stroll and stood before the trainers. Gold looked surprised to see him up close and Crystal looked nervous to see him again.

He observed Gold and didn't look impressed until he moved on to Crystal and stopped when he saw her again. He broke into a smile and said to her, "Ah, Crystal, it's nice to meet you again."

He took her hand and shook it gently while Gold looked at Crystal with a dropped jaw. "Crystal, you know him?" he inquired her shocked.

Crystal shyly nodded yes to his answer while Falkner pulled his hand away from hers and spoke to Gold, "Yes, I met her last night when my Pokemon were being healed."

Crystal looked down bashfully as Falkner turned his attention back to Crystal and asked, "Ready?"

She looked up at him and smiled big filled with coolness, "You bet! I'm ready to the challenge!"

Gold looked at her a little amazed to her switch from being timid to brave in a short time. "Good, be prepared."

After a while, Gold sat on one of the bleachers with Totodile sitting beside him ready to watch Crystal's battle. Crystal stood on one side with Chikorita standing by her and Falkner stood on the other side with Pidgey still on his shoulder. A green-haired referee in forest green track jacket and pants announced, "This is the battle between Crystal the challenger and Falkner the Gym Leader. The rules are two pokemon can be used and that the challenger can substitute their pokemon at anytime. "

Crystal looked determined to win her first badge along with Chikorita, as Falkner looked amused. "Begin!" he shouted aloud holding out his arm.

"Chikorita, you're up!" Crystal called out as Chikorita jumped into the battle arena.

"Pidgey, go!" he called out as his Pidgey flew from his shoulder and hovered before him.

"A Pidgey?" she took the Pokedex out and flipped its cover off.

"Pidgey. The Tiny Bird Pokemon. It rapidly flaps its wings in the grass, stirring up a dust cloud that drives insect prey out into the open." The computerized voice spoke with a picture of a Pidgey on it.

"I see." She pocketed the Pokedex in her pocket again ready to go through her first Gym battle.

"Ready?" he asked eager to start.

"Ready!" she shouted back readied. "Now, Chikorita, use your Razor Leaf!" she ordered her leaf pokemon. Chikorita sent her leaves towards the floating bird pokemon.

"Pidgey, use your Whirlwind." Falkner ordered Pidgey.

"Pidgey!" it cried out flapping its wing faster causing a huge wind that forced the leaves to fall like paper. Crystal tensed a little while Chikorita gasped at how the wind stopped her leaves.

"You got to do better than that, Crystal." He spoke in a mocking voice.

"Don't be sure, Falkner! Chikorita, grab Pidgey!" Chikorita sent vines from her neck towards the small bird pokemon.

"Dodge it."

Pidgey flew up into the air trying to avoid the vines as Chikorita directed her vines up and wrapped around the unsuspected Pidgey's body. Falkner looked surprised while Crystal smiled and instructed her, "Now slam Pidgey down!" Chikorita pulled Pidgey down with her vines and slammed it to the ground causing a big boom with dust covering the arena.

"Oh no! Pidgey!" Falkner tried to look to see if Pidgey was okay while Chikorita recalled her vines with her trainer, Crystal hoping that they won the round.

The dust cleared up and revealed Pidgey lying on its back unconscious with swirl circles in its eyes. "Pidgey is unable to battle. The winner is Chikorita." The referee announced loud and clear.

"Alright!" she cheered happily while Gold and Totodile clapped and rooted for her and Falkner recalled his unconscious tiny bird pokemon.

"You did good, Pidgey." He whispered to his pokeball before he pocketed it. He pulled another pokeball out and threw it up in the air saying, "Pidgeotto, go!" The ball twirled up in the air before it opened releasing a bird pokemon bigger than Pidgey.

"Oh, a Pidgeotto." She said holding her Pokedex again and flipped its cover off.

"Pidgeotto. The Bird Pokemon. The Evolution of Pidgey. It slowly flies in a circular pattern, all the while keeping a sharp lookout for prey." The female computerized voice informed showing the picture of Pidgeotto.

"An evolution of Pidgey." She said to herself putting the Pokedex back into her pocket.

"Now, time for the real battle. Pidgeotto, use Sand-Attack!" he commanded the bird pokemon with a smirk.

"Pidgeotto!" it cried out flapping its wings causing dust to whip up. They both closed their eyes and covered them with their arms while the dust hit them.

"I can't see." Crystal coughed harshly from the raging dust hitting her.

"Good job! Pidgeotto, now use Gust!" Pidgeotto flew into the middle of the arena and flew around in circles causing a huge gust to suddenly appear.

Crystal and Chikorita stood their ground as they try to not get pulled into the huge powerful flurry. "Chikorita, stand your ground!" she called out trying to not get pulled in.

"Chika!" the leaf pokemon said backing away from the gust.

The gust continued on with Pidgeotto still controlling the attack inside and Falkner watching them with some amusement. "There's got to be a way to end this." Crystal said using her arms to cover herself.

An idea popped into her head as she called out to Chikorita, "Chikorita, use your new attack, Solar Beam!" Chikorita stood her ground while her leaf gathered energy and began to glow white. Falkner's eyes widened shocked watching the leaf pokemon use the most powerful grass attack.

Gold watched them interested as he said to himself, "This will be so cool!"

The leaf gathered more energy until it glowed bright white and sparkled. "Now, use Solar Beam!" she ordered pointing towards Pidgeotto.

"Chika!" she cried out releasing the bright energy and directed it at the busy bird. Pidgeotto stayed in its spot still causing the gust that it didn't noticed a bright light was heading towards it. It turned its head to see and squawked astonished until it was covered in white energy.

There was a huge blast coming from inside the gust as the flurry dispersed from the action leaving them to look up at where Pidgeotto was at. "Pidgeotto!" Falkner looked incredibly dumbfounded while Crystal and Chikorita looked relieved. The bird pokemon fell from the blast and crashed into the ground making a crater in the cement. The dust scattered to reveal Pidgeotto unconscious and extremely wounded from the Solar Beam.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle. The victory goes to challenger, Crystal!" The referee declared holding his arm out to Crystal and Chikorita.

"We did it! We won!" Crystal cheered loudly and happily hopping into the air. Chikorita cheered along with her trainer while Gold and Totodile ran over and applauded for them.

Falkner recalled back his Pidgeotto and uttered some small words to his precious bird pokemon. He walked over to the cheering trainers and congratulated Crystal, "Well done, Crystal! It seemed that you were true to you word and showed full confidence in Chikorita and yourself that you two beaten my Dad's precious bird pokemon."

"Thanks, Falkner." She smiled kindly towards him.

The referee came over and gave him a decorated blue box and left the room. "I represent this to you, Crystal. The Zephyr Badge!" He opened the box and showed her the Zephyr Badge in the small box.

She picked it up and held it up in her big moment and poised victorious saying, "Alright! I got the Zephyr Badge!"

Chikorita jumped up next to her crying out in joy, "Chika! Chika!"

She put the badge in her badge box while Gold talked to Falkner with Totodile. "So, when can I battle you next?" he asked eager to battle.

"Well, we can battle in a while just after I get my Pokemon healed again." He replied to the young boy.

"Great!" Gold grinned excitedly while Crystal was putting her first badge in her light blue badge box.

Falkner paused for a minute before he headed towards Crystal and handed her a slip without a word. He then headed towards the door and stopped to turn to Gold and said, "I'm heading to the Pokemon Center. When I come back, be ready for a battle." He ran out of his gym and headed towards the Pokemon Center leaving the two trainers to watch.

Crystal looked puzzled at where he ran out as she flipped open the slip and read it quietly. Gold sneakily crept up behind the unaware and looked over her shoulder asking noisly, "What does it say?"

She turned away letting him fall to the ground while she spoke frustratedly, "Gold, you're so noisy."

He laughed from the floor at himself as he stood up and replied, "Yeah, I know. But still..."

She looked questioning at the golden-eyed boy and his strange behavior and asked worriedly, "Gold?"

He spun towards her and shouted out unexpectedly making her jump frightened, "That was amazing! When did Chikorita learned to use Solar Beam like that?"

She blinked twice before she reminded him a bit frustrated, "She learned the move during our training battle yesterday, remember?"

He tapped his chin with his finger trying to remember what happened yesterday. "Oh, yeah! Can Chikorita do any other moves like that?" he inquired looking at the small leaf pokemon.

"Yes, she can do many other grass moves. But you don't need to worry about that now. Besides, you're about to battle Falkner with Totodile. I hope you're prepared for the big fight." She waved it off with a hand while Chikorita mimicked the same move with her leaf.

"You're right. I'm just so nervous, yet excited!"

"Good, we should wait until he comes back." She pulled him towards the bleachers with Chikorita behind her.

They continued to wait for a while until he finally rushed in with his healed pokemon. He glanced over at the two and asked Gold, "You ready?"

"You bet!" Gold exclaimed vivaciously standing up from the bleacher. He turned to Crystal, who sat beside him, and recommended kindly, "This battle should take a while to finish. Why don't you go around Violet City with Chikorita and spend some time off?"

She thought long and hard before she decided and said, "Okay, I'll go. If you need me, we'll be at Earl's Pokemon Academy." She stood up and ran out of the gym with Chikorita bounding after her with the two trainers watching.

Once she was out, the Pokegear hanging around her neck began to vibrate again close to her chest. She pulled it up to her eyes and looked at the caller I.D. to see it was Prof. Elm. She clicked the phone button and spoke into its speaker, "Hello?"

"Hello, Crystal?" Prof. Elm's curious voice asked.

"Yes, it's me." She replied happy to hear from him again holding the Pokegear like a microphone to her lips.

"Good to hear from you again. We discovered something about the egg!" he exclaimed triumphant through the speaker.

"Really? What is it?" she asked intrigued at the good news.

"I can't explain, but my assistant is at the Pokemon Center in Violet. You should visit him and asked him yourself." He answered unsure himself.

"Okay, I'm going to the Pokemon Center now to heal Chikorita." She agreed along with him while Chikorita played with some butterflies.

"Good, good, I better go. Call me if you find anything out. Bye!" He hung leaving the Pokegear to beep afterwards until she pressed the phone button off.

"Chikorita! Let's go!" she called out to the leaf pokemon playing in the fields.

"Chika?" she spoke puzzled before she scampered over to her trainer, who was walking towards the Pokemon Center.

They went inside and found Prof. Elm's assistant standing by the counter holding the spotted egg in his hands. She walked up to him as he spun towards her and smiled. "Crystal, long time, no see." The assistant greeted the bluenette warmly.

"Hi there! Prof. Elm called me saying that you're here in Violet City." She spoke twiddling her fingers.

"Yes, Prof. Elm asked me to find you." He explained carefully cradling the fragile egg.

"Me?" she pointed to herself confused.

"Yes, he has another favor to ask." "Of course."

She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head predictable. "What is it he wants me to do?"

He took the egg away from his chest and held it out to her. "Would you take the Pokemon egg?" he asked hopefully.

"Huh? Why?"

"You see, we discovered that a Pokemon will not hatch until it grows in the egg. It also has to be with other active Pokemon to hatch. Crystal, you're the only person we can rely on." He explained looking at her pleadingly.

"Well? Okay, I'll take it." She nodded and took the egg from his hands.

"Great! Please call Prof. Elm when that egg hatches!" he ran out of the center while she tried to call out, "But wait?!"

He was gone while she stood near the counter with the odd egg and a curious Chikorita standing next to her feet. She sighed holding the egg close to her chest with both arms while Chikorita looked up at her concerned. "Oh well! I'll talk this egg and make sure it's safe."

She flashed a big smile while she put her backpack down and opened it up wide. She carefully placed the egg inside while Chikorita shot a blank look at her. She closed the bag with the egg secured inside before she placed it on her back. Chikorita jumped in her arms again and Crystal walked over to the counter where Nurse Joy is working at. "I like my Chikorita to get healed."

After Chikorita was healed, they went out to the city and spent a lot of time with each other. They strolled through the flowers, played with the children, drank some milkshakes, laid on the grass, ate ice cream, shop in the store, and frolicked in the fields. Later inside Earl's Pokemon Academy, Crystal was sitting on a chair at the front desk tying her shoelaces listening to the kids gossiping around. Chikorita was napping on the chair next to her peacefully. She observed around to see the kids chatting and trading Pokemon since the teacher was away while a boy sat at the same table as her was writing down notes from the blackboard.

She laid her head on the empty desk behind her bored and tired. "What a day!" she muttered to herself bushed. She picked up the slip Falkner gave her before and looked at it again. It was his phone number and on the bottom, he wrote, **_"We'll have a rematch later on and we'll see who's the best! -Falkner."_** She smiled big at the note and put it back into her pocket again.

The door opened with a bang while she sat up and looked behind her to see Gold standing there with his uninjured Totodile. "Crystal!" he called running towards her with a big grin.

He stopped in front of her while she inquired, "Hey, Gold. What took you so long?"

He rubbed the back of his head embarrassed as he explained, "Sorry, me and Totodile had a hard time battling Falkner and his Pokemon"

She cocked her head to the side while she remembered something. "Oh, yeah! Did you win the badge?" she asked excitedly.

He pulled out his badge and flashed it in her face, "Yes, I did!"

He laughed victoriously while the kids stared at them weirdly and Crystal sweatdropped at the stares they're getting. "Gold, you should calm down. People are staring." She whispered to him quietly.

He paused and looked at see the kids stare at them. His face went totally red while he rubbed his head sheepishly. "So, Crystal, you ready to head towards Sprout Tower? Or are you tired already?" he asked leaning towards Crystal.

"I'm ready if you are." She replied smoothing Chikorita's back softly.

"Okay, let's get to the tower before it turns dark." He suggested running out of the academy leaving her alone again. She woke Chikorita up gently as Chikorita rubbed her eyes drowsily and let out a small yawn. She picked up her small pokemon and ran outside the academy where she found Gold waiting for here. "Race you to the tower!" he exclaimed playfully having a head start with Totodile.

"That's not fair! Wait for me!" she whined childishly running after him.

TBC

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What did you think of it? Please R R! Bye! 


	6. Sprout Tower

Hello, everyone. Thanks for reading my story and I appreciate it a lot! I hope you'll love this chapter! Later!

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Sprout Tower

They sprinted towards the direction of the tower until they saw a huge tower stood tall in front of them. "There it is! Sprout Tower!" Gold exclaimed seeing the towering building. They reached the door of Sprout Tower and ran inside to see some people standing around the room.

They walked up towards the center and an old woman welcomed them warmly saying, "Welcome to Sprout Tower, young ones." They gave her a friendly smile and continued up to the center where they saw a table shaking left to right.

They watched the table danced as Crystal asked confused, "Why is the table shaking like that?"

A woman in a pink dress came over towards them and answered her, "The table is shaking because there are people training upstairs."

"There are people upstairs?" Gold questioned interested.

"Yep, the sages of the tower are up on each floor training their pokemon or battling some trainers that wish to be taught a new move." She pointed to the staircase across the room.\

"Thank you." They ran around the table and ascended upstairs towards the first floor.

They reached the top and found a sage waiting for them with a patient look on his face. "Ah, more trainers. The last one was reckless and stubborn. Unfortunately for you two, I can't battle you both. So, which one of you will battle me first?" he spoke wisely with his arms crossing his black and blue robes.

They both exchanged confused looks as Gold scooted over to her side and whispered, "Crystal, I can't fight with Totodile because he's a water-type. He will get seriously hurt."

She nodded understandingly and whispered back, "I'll go first, and then you take on the next one." "Good."

He stepped back with Totodile as Crystal stepped up to the challenger. "So you're first? Fine, then let's battle." He took out a pokeball and threw it calling, "Bellsprout, go!"

The ball hit the ground with a pop and out came a small weed crying out, "Bellsprout."

"Wow, a Bellsprout." She said in awe flipping the cover off her Pokedex.

"Bellsprout. The Flower Pokemon. If it notices anything that moves, it immediately its vines at that object." The computer voice spoke with a picture of a Bellsprout showing.

She pocketed her Pokedex in her pocket as she told Chikorita, "Chikorita, you're up."

"Chika!" it said leapt out of her arms and stood in battle position.

"Now if we continue. Bellsprout, use Vine Whip!" he commanded his pokemon.

"Bellsprout!" it cried whipping its vine towards Chikorita.

"Chikorita, dodge and use Razor Leaf." She ordered calmly. Chikorita jumped to the side avoiding Bellsprout's Vine Whip and started twirling its leaf shooting leaves toward the weed.

"Use your Vine Whip again!" Bellsprout whipped its vine and smacked the leaves down.

"Chikorita, tackle." Chikorita began to charge towards the standing Bellsprout with great stamina.

"Use Wrap." Bellsprout's vines shot out and wrapped it around the small pokemon's body. "It seems your Pokemon is caught in Bellsprout's trap. What should you do now?" he mocked the bluenette girl.

"Watch this. Razor Leaf!" Chikorita shot out more leaves heading towards the small weed and struck the flower hard.

It fell on the ground loosing the vines making Chikorita fall on its fours. "Now, Chikorita, use your Tackle." She charged towards the weed and smacked it across the floor with its slam. The Bellsprout tried to get up, but it fell on the ground unconscious.

"You win." He stated recalling his pokemon back into its pokeball.

"Yes!" she cheered along with Chikorita.

The sage stood to the side and spoke, "You may pass."

"Great, thanks!" They passed the sage and continued their way upstairs towards the top.

On the second floor, they reached the top and ran around tricky corners all over the room. They ran around a sharp corner and Crystal bumped into someone's chest and fell down on her butt. She looked up to see another sage standing there looking seriously at them. "I see you've passed my brother sage. Now, I'll see if you can pass through me." He spoke looking at the both of them. Crystal stood up and rubbed her bum sorely and stood beside Gold. "Which one of you would like to battle me?"

Gold stepped up and replied, "I would like to battle you." The sage nodded and said, "Good, let's begin." He turned around and walked to the other side of the room before he turned around and faced him.

Gold sauntered over to his place and said, "Totodile, your turn." Totodile nodded and jumped from his arms and landed in front of his trainer.

The sage took out his pokeball and threw it to the ground releasing another Bellsprout. "Bellsprout!" it said eagerly waving its stem arms around. Crystal stood on the sidelines where she wouldn't get in the way and watched the battle with Chikorita. "Bellsprout, use Growth!" the sage commanded anxiously. Bellsprout stood and lifted its arms as a yellow glow radiated from it and small blue particles circled around it.

"Totodile, use Scratch!" Gold instructed Totodile.

"Toto!" he soared over to Bellsprout and readied its claws to scratch.

"Use your Vine Whip!" Bellsprout whipped its vines towards the shocked Totodile.

"Dodge it!" Gold cried out nervously. Totodile spun around the vines letting them miss him directly. "Now do it!" Totodile's claws scratched Bellsprout leaving really deep marks cross its tiny stem body.

Bellsprout was pushed back and still stood on its own two feet breathing heavily. "You okay, Bellsprout?" the sage asked his pokemon worriedly.

"Bellsprout." It answered raising its hand up in determination.

"Good. Quick! Vine Whip!" Bellsprout lashed his vines out again really fast towards an unsuspected Totodile.

The vines whipped Totodile multiple times letting him drop to the ground. "You okay?" Gold asked looking concerned.

Totodile pushed from the ground and stood back up covered in small lashes across his body. Crystal and Chikorita watched with a worry expression and looking at both trainers. "Bellsprout, try your Wrap!"

The small weed shot its arms towards the blue crocodile as Gold spoke, "Use Bite." Totodile jumped towards the vines and bit them deadly with its big jaws as Bellsprout's eyes widened and screamed in pain.

"Bellsprout!" the sage cried out looking at his wounded pokemon. Totodile released the vines from its jaws and before you knew it, Bellsprout fell unconscious on the wooden floor. The sage looked down in defeat as Crystal jumped up relieved and ran over towards the cheering duo.

"We won! We won our first battle!" Gold shouted dancing with a very happy Totodile.

"You did it, Gold!" Crystal smiled at him with Chikorita applauding in her arms for them.

"We both did it!" he laughed joyfully making them all laugh. The sage recalled his pokemon making them all silent and watching him.

"You may pass." He stepped to the side opening the way.

"Thanks." Crystal thanked the sage before they continued on and ran upstairs to the next floor.

On the third floor, they sprinted through the floor not finding any more sages that wanted to battle. They made huge thumps on the floor as their feet stomped on the floor during the run. "There's no one here." Crystal said to Gold on their run.

"Where could they be?" he questioned loudly.

Suddenly, a huge, powerful quake shook the whole building making them both fall to the floor protecting themselves and their pokemon. The building trembled until it slowly died down and stopped abruptly. They laid there for a few minutes until they slowly sat up looking around for any problems. They stood up from the ground and scanned the room with alerted eyes.

"What was that?!" Gold exclaimed terrified.

"I don't know." She replied baffled by the quake.

Gold turned to her and said, "We should get out of here while we still can."

"No way. I think we should continue and reach the top." She said calmly to him.

"Are you serious?! We could be killed!" he exclaimed at her.

"I am serious. Besides, it could be the people upstairs battling. We should head up and find out." She said to the baffled boy.

"You're going up then? Fine, I'll stay here, then." He said turning his back on the girl.

"Okay, we'll both go and get that move whether you like it or not." She started to run towards the staircase and ascended the stairs leaving her friend alone.

Gold stood there stubborn as a mule as Totodile tugged his shirt trying to catch his attention. He glanced down at the blue crocodile and saw he was looking at him with a pleading look to go with her. He stopped and thought for a moment before he turned around and started to go after her.

Crystal was running through the empty room jumping over small holes in the old floor. She saw a table in the corner shaking like the one on the ground floor, but continued her way to the staircase. Once she was at the foot of the staircase, she stopped and looked up to see the upper floor from where she was. "This is intense, isn't Chikorita?" she asked the small leaf pokemon in her arms. It nodded slowly staring up at the floor above them.

"Crystal!" Gold's voice called out.

They spun to see Gold and Totodile running up to them before he stopped in front of them tired and out of breath. "Gold? I thought you were going back down."

He paused in his heavy breathing and glanced up at her. "I know, but Totodile wanted to go with you up to the next floors."

"And?" she inquired smirking at him.

"And I'm sorry for doubting you." He put his head down embarrassed with Totodile chuckling.

"Good." She smiled warmly as she walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder comforting. He looked up and gave a sheepish smile before he stood up and she pulled her hand away. They turned to the staircase and left for the next floor. They ran up to the next floor and found no one there, but the same table there shaking like the other ones. "No one's here again." Crystal whispered softly to him.

"Why are you whispering?" he inquired loudly. She shushed him with a finger to her lips before she took his hand and led him to the table. They both stopped when they saw a sage battling a redheaded trainer across from them.

"Get down!" Gold whispered urgently bending down behind the table.

"Wha?" she was interrupted when Gold pulled her down with him. Gold and Totodile's head poked around on side of the table while Crystal and Chikorita's head poked around the other side. Crystal examined the redhead trainer trying to find out who he was until it hit her like a ton of bricks.

"It's him." She whispered softly narrowing her eyes at him.

"Chika." Chikorita said narrowing her eyes at him too.

"You know him?" Gold asked quietly.

"Yes, he's the one who stole Cyndaquil from Prof. Elm." She whispered back glancing at Gold.

"That's the guy!" he whispered shocked.

She looked at Cyndaquil and remembered something, "I forgot." She whispered as she pulled her Pokedex out. She turned back to the battle and watched with Gold silently. Silver was standing with a serious expression with Cyndaquil in front of him while the elder stood with his Bellsprout in front of him. Cyndaquil was struggling to get up from the floor bearing a lot of deep wounds. Silver glared at it deadly and spoke icily, "Just as I thought, you're weak." Cyndaquil glanced back at him with a sad look before it tried to stand up again.

Gold spoke angrily, "That ugly jerk!"

Crystal felt sorry for the poor stolen pokemon being mistreated by a thief. "Poor Cyndaquil." She whispered sorrowfully.

It fought against its unhealthy state and stood on all fours trying to impress its trainer. "Cyndaquil, use Tackle." Silver ordered the fire mouse pokemon coldly. Cyndaquil charged towards the weed pokemon while it stood its ground.

"Bellsprout, use Wrap." The elder commanded wisely. Bellsprout's vines shot towards it and wrapped all around Cyndaquil squeezing him tight. "Good, Bellsprout. Now squeeze it tighter." The flower pokemon squeezed Cyndaquil tighter making it cry out in pain.

Silver narrowed his eyes at Cyndaquil before he instructed harshly, "Cyndaquil, burn the vines." Cyndaquil spurted back from its back letting it burn through the vines releasing him.

The fire didn't stop there, it moved through the vines towards a scared Bellsprout as it danced helplessly trying to stop the flames. "Bellsprout!" the elder shouted worriedly for his pokemon.

"Use Tackle." Silver glared frostily at the old man. The fire mouse charged once more and bashed against the flower pokemon's body rather badly. It landed on the ground unconscious from the painful attack in front of his horrified trainer.

Silver smirked maliciously at him while Cyndaquil jumped back in front of him. The two trainers crawled out from hiding behind the table and stood behind it with their pokemon. "It seems, old man, that you lost against me." He mocked unemotionally recalling back the wounded Cyndaquil.

The elder recalled his fallen Bellsprout and spoke intelligently, "You are indeed skilled as a trainer. As promised here's the move, Flash." He threw a small orange device at Silver, who caught it and looked at it. "But let me say this: You should treat your Pokemon better. The way you battle is far too harsh. Pokemon are not tools of war…" He watched Silver turn around uncaringly and didn't listen to what he said.

Silver caught the sight of Crystal and Gold and recognized the bluenette, who he fought not that long ago. He moved towards her and got in her face scoffing off, "….Humph! He claims to be the Elder, but he's weak. It stands to reason. I'd never lose to fools who babble about being nice to Pokemon. I only care about strong Pokemon that can win. I really couldn't care less about weak Pokemon."

Crystal got pushed aside by Gold as he went up to Silver's face and spoke furiously, "The only one here that's weak is you! Treating Cyndaquil like that! You're the weak one!"

Silver sent him his fierce glare and retorted, "Do you think I care about your little opinions about what I do!? Now, I have to deal with you and the blue girl."

"Why you!?" Gold roared trying to tackle Silver.

"Gold!" Crystal protested pulling him back from tackling the redhead. Chikorita jumped out of her arms again and Totodile dropped from Gold's hold as they watched her stopped him from attacking the red-haired boy.

"Crystal, let me go!" he ordered trying to attack the guy.

Silver was a little surprised by her action while Gold tried to fight out of her grasp. "Gold, would you calm down?" Chikorita's vines wrapped around Gold's legs seizing him in his spot.

Gold's golden eyes and Silver's silver eyes glared at each other angrily. Silver snapped out from their little glaring contest with Gold and pulled out an escape rope out of his back pocket. He spun the rope around him gracefully as he magically twirled around and mysteriously teleported into thin air. Gold scowled at his disappearance as Crystal allowed him to go free from her clutches.

She heaved deeply from all the strain of pulling her friend back while he turned towards her and asked, "Why did you hold me back from that thief? You know he has Prof. Elm's Cyndaquil. We could have gotten him back."

She paused in her breathing and looked at him seriously replying, "I know that, but once a Pokemon is used in battle and becomes attached to a trainer, it's no use to get it back."

"Yeah, but--?" he was speechless by her explanation while Crystal smoothed her neck soothingly.

They appeared to the Elder and he smiled at them both greeting them, "Good of you to come! Sprout Tower is a place of training. People and Pokemon test their bonds to build a bright future together. I am the final test. Allow me to check the ties between your Pokemon and you! Now, who shall I battle first?" Crystal stepped forward wanting to battle while Gold stepped back waiting for his turn.

He nodded towards the bluenette and said, "Good, now let's begin. Bellsprout, go!" he threw his pokeball to the ground as it opened to reveal a Bellsprout.

"Bellsprout!" it cried out determined.

"Chikorita, go!" she called out letting Chikorita hop out of her arms. Chikorita landed before her ready to battle the last trainer. Gold watched from the sidelines taking notes with Totodile. The Elder observed his new challenger interested while Crystal's face was filled with confidence.

While the Elder and Crystal battled upstairs, Silver was walking on the ground floor heading towards the door. He passed by the people, who beamed at him with their happy smiles, carrying Cyndaquil's pokeball in his pocket. When he reached the door, he paused and turned looking at the old wooden stairwell that led upstairs quietly. He gave a small smirk before he turned around and continued to walk outside.

"So…her name's Crystal."

After a long time of both of them battling the Leader, they recalled Chikorita and Totodile back into their pokeballs to rest from their extensive battle as the elder stepped up to them and spoke, " You and your Pokemon should have no problem using this move. Here take Flash."

He handed them both the small orange technical machines to the two rookie trainers. They looked at it curious and delighted to earn the useful move they'll need in the future. They put it in the backpacks while the Elder watched them before he spoke again.

" Flash illuminates even the darkest of all places. But to use it out of battles, you need the Badge from Violet's Gym."

"No problem!" Gold replied cracking his knuckles smiling big.

The Elder nodded understandingly before he walked over to his position in front of the Bellsprout mural and the two Bellsprout statues. Crystal took out an escape rope from her pocket while Gold took his out from his backpack. They both stood in front of each other before they started to whip the rope around them causing them to disappear from the floor.

After healing their Pokemon in the Pokemon Center, they walked over to the beginning of Route 32 and stood there looking beyond the route to see the tall grass swaying to the wind and a huge lake glowing in the sunlight.

"Isn't it amazing?" she sighed feeling peaceful from watching the scenery.

"Yeah." He nodded agreeing with her.

They stood there for a few moments quiet and silent watching the scenery until Crystal broke the silence with her saying, "I guess this is where we part."

He nodded and said sadly, "Yeah."

She whirled around to face him as she exclaimed, "Hey, why are we talking like it's our last goodbye? We get to see other each other soon, probably at the Pokemon League."

He held a look of shock until he looked positive and agreed, "You're right, we shouldn't be moping around. Besides, we can call each other if we want, right?"

He didn't hear her say anything and looked to see her thinking to herself silently while he leaned forward and asked again hoping, "…Right?"

She snapped out of her thinking and flashed a big smile; "Sure, you can call me anytime!"

She pulled out her notebook from her backpack, tore a piece of paper from it, and put the notebook back inside the bag before she started to write something down with her pen. She then walked up to the curious Gold and handed the small sheet of paper to him. He took the paper and looked at it to see her phone number laid across the paper in her curvy handwriting.

"That's my phone number. Now, you can call me anytime."

He smiled pocketing her phone number before he pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to her. She looked to see his phone number in his small bold letters. She lifted her head to see him and pocketed the slip along with the other things in her pocket.

He stepped aside while Crystal looked very puzzled at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked shooting him a blank look.

"You're getting the head start first, since I had mine when we're heading towards Bellsprout Tower. Now, it's your turn." He answered holding his arm out to the route.

"You sure?"

"Positive. Go, before I steal your turn before you." He gave her a playful smirk making her laugh at his face before she waved it off.

"Okay, if you're sure." She started to run down the route leaving Gold to stand there watching her run down the road. He felt sad yet happy for her and that he'll won't see again till the next time. She glanced over her shoulder to see him stand there sadly before she twirled around running backwards calling cheerily, " See you later at the Pokemon League, Gold! I hope you bring your bandages when I get through with you!"

He turned his head surprised at her comment before he laughed mockingly, "Yeah, right! You'll be the one that will the bandages when I'm done with you, Crystal!"

She giggled at his enthusiasm before she spun around again and ran down the road going towards her next destination: Azalea Town with her childhood friend waving goodbye at her running form disappearing from his view.

TBC

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How did you like it? The next chapter is coming soon. 


	7. Special Delivery!

Hi! Here's the new chapter and thanks for reading my story! Anyway here's the chapter and please R&R! See ya later!

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Special Delivery!

In the middle of the day on Route 31, Crystal was heading her next destination and the next gym of Azalea Town to obtain her next badge with her released rested Chikorita. While they were busily strolling on the route, a medium-sized red and white bird pokemon flew above the road and searched the route with wary eyes. It spotted its target walking towards the cave before it swooped down quickly and flew towards her.

She immediately stopped sensing something and turned around to see a bird flying towards her. Crystal gasped frightened while Chikorita jumped in front of her protectively. The bird flew pass her swiftly and spun around while hovering before her. They both looked at the bird astounded and saw it beaming at her friendly with a sack on its back and held it in its beak.

"Huh?" she said puzzled before she took the letter from the smiling bird. She opened it and read it aloud with the bird floating before her.

"_**Dear Crystal,**_

_**I noticed that you didn't pack any lunches for your big adventure, so I packed some snacks and meals for you on your journey. Anyway, this is Delibird, I found him near our house alone and wounded before I took him in and treated his wounds. He has all of your meals and snacks in his bag tail and I thought you'd love to have him as your very own Pokemon. Besides, he's very useful since he's an ice and flying-type pokemon and that Bugsy is a bug-type Gym leader. Call me when you reach the next town.**_

_**  
Love,**_

_**Mom**_

She looked Delibird still holding the letter while he greeted happily, "Deli! Deli! De!"

Chikorita gave a smile back to Delibird and greeted back, "Chika! Chi!"

Her blue eyes blinked a couple times before they glistened with glitter and she squealed awed, "You're so adorable!" She grabbed the flying bird and embraced it tight frightening the bird. Chikorita laughed joyfully at the scene watching her trainer spun around with the bird in her grip. She released him from her tight grip letting him hovering dazed while something clicked into her mind. "Wait a minute." She said pulling out her Pokedex and flipped it on.

"Delibird. The Delivery Pokemon. It always carries its food with it, wherever it goes. If attacked, it throws its food at the opponent." The automated voice spoke showing a picture of Delibird.

"Hmmm." She closed the Pokedex and pocketed it into her pocket before turning her attention to Delibird again. Delibird landed on the ground in front of her softly waiting for her to say something. She observed the hovering bird with a scrutinizing eye while it got really nervous under her long gaze. She bended down on her knees to reach its eye level and asked smiling, "Do you like to join me?"

"Deli! Deli!" he shouted gladly waving its arms around enthusiastically.

"Great!" she took out a pokeball and threw it up in the air gracefully. Delibird looked up at the flying ball before he jumped up high and touched the ball with his wing causing the ball to open and captured him inside. The ball plummeted to the ground and landed shaking crazily with Crystal watching with a hopeful face. It shook some few times before it stopped telling her that Delibird has been caught. She picked up the ball and held it up high exclaiming, "Yes, I got Delibird!"

Chikorita jumped up cheering along excited, "Chika! Chika!"

She glanced at her starter pokemon and said to her, "Looks like you got a new friend and a new teammate, Chikorita." Chikorita nodded happily to have a new friend. She threw her pokeball up again and popped open with a bright, white light to reveal a materialized Delibird.

"Deli! Deli!" he cried its battle cry eagerly posing with a hand in the air and another holding his sack with a smile. He flapped his wings slowly as he descended down to the ground until he met Crystal's smiling face.

"Alright, Delibird. Are you up for some training?" she asked energetically.

"Deli!" he agreed showing strong spirit.

"Good, first we'll see what kind of moves you have. Delibird, show me what you got!" she commanded pumping her fist out.

"Deli!" he cried out pulling out a wrapped present from his sack and threw it at a nearby tree. It exploded with a powerful blast causing the tree to turn into black dust.

She watched the attack intrigued while Chikorita cheered for her new teammate. "Alright, Delibird! Use another move!" she instructed eager to see what it can do.

"Deli?" he turned to her shooting her a blank look.

Her grinning face turned puzzled and Chikorita looked surprised as she finally figured out. "You mean? The only move you know is Present?" she asked the awkward looking bird.

"Deli." he sighed shamed looking down to the ground. He suddenly turned its back toward Crystal and Chikorita while Crystal questioned concerned for her new pokemon, "What's the matter, Delibird?"

He turned back to her showing its eyes filled with sad tears brimmed to the top ready to fall. "Deli! Deli, de!" he started to wept miserably bring its arm to cover its eyes. Crystal felt sad for Delibird that he felt worthless for only having one move learned while Chikorita tried to cheer the bird up.

"Chika." She patted his back with her hand gently and caringly.

"Deli! De!" he cried out depressed scaring Chikorita a little.

Crystal was thinking of Delibird and his problem until she remembered and thought of a plan to regain his confidence back. "I got it!" she shouted out causing the two pokemon to look at her. She dug out of her backpack some magazines she bought from the Violet City stores. She brought them over to Delibird and showed it to him. "See? If we follow this issue of _Chill Out Magazine _and _Fly High Magazine_, we can get you to learn more awesome moves and help you regain your confidence."

"Deli?" he questioned looking at a magazine that showed a Dewgong sitting on an iceberg and another magazine with a Pidgeotto flying with other bird pokemon. "Deli, deli?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course." She flashed him an assuring smile before she got tackled into a hug by the delighted bird.

"Deli! Deli! Deli!" he exclaimed happily hugging his grinning trainer to the ground. He stopped embracing and jumped up letting her stand up from the ground.

"Okay, you ready to learn some moves!"

In another area of the route, Crystal and Chikorita were standing behind an anxious Delibird as he faced a tree that appeared sturdy and strong. "Okay, Delibird. Did you memorized the moves listed in the books?" she inquired looking at her eager pokemon.

He glanced over his shoulder and flashed her a thumb-up. "Good. Now, Delibird use your Ice Beam on that tree!" she ordered determined along with the bird as he gathered icy power in his mouth and shot a beam out towards the tree. The tree froze up encased in a huge iceberg making it stick out like a sore thumb. "You did it!" she cheered merrily as they both applauded for the surprised bird.

"Deli?" he questioned stepping up the iceberg and touched it with his wing carefully. "Deli!" he shouted enthusiastically hopping around the two. He stopped his happy hopping and flew over and landed before the amused Crystal and happy Chikorita.

"Now, let's continue the training."

2 hours later, the trio was continuing the training until Delibird learned the very last move from the magazine. The two pokemon were resting on the ground recovering their energy while Crystal held out her unfolded map and looked at it. "Hmmm, there's a Pokemon Center near the Union Cave. Maybe, we should head there before going through to Azalea Town." She muttered to herself tracing the route from where they were to Azalea Town.

"Hey, you!" a young male voice called out from the fields.

She turned to the fields at the sound of the voice interested and saw a teenage boy like her age running towards her excitedly. When he came to a stop by her, she saw that he was wearing a cap with the Pokemon League symbol on it, his clothes were very unique, and he had a cute Pikachu sitting on his shoulder looking concerned for him.

"Are you okay?" she asked worried about the boy.

He stopped breathing loudly and looked up energetic, "I'm fine! I'm Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. What's your name?"

She looked puzzled and a little astounded by him before she smiled, "I'm Crystal Higarashi of New Bark Town."

"Say, can we have a Pokemon battle? A double battle?"

She looked at him some more and nodded smiling, "Sure!"

They had a the battle area all set up with Delibird and Chikorita standing by Crystal while Ash had Pikachu stand next to him on the other side. They stood scrutinized each other trying to find out who was thinking what. He pulled out a Pokeball and asked readied to battle, "Ready, Crystal?"

She smirked at him back and exclaimed, "More than ready!"

"Good! Now come on out!" he cried out throwing his two of his pokeballs up into the air.

The pokeballs popped open letting out a steam of light as it hit the ground and materialized a shiny golden Noctowl and a Totodile that looked serious to fight. Noctowl's feathers glistened beautifully letting out a shine that caught their eyes straight on while Totodile smiled excited with his big teeth.

"Wow! It's so shiny!" she admired observing the golden Noctowl glow.

"Thanks, now choose your Pokemon!"

"I will! Delibird, Chikorita, you're up. " She called out confidently while Delibird and Chikorita nodded and jumped up before her.

"And now, Noctowl, use your Peck! Totodile, use Water Gun!" he ordered determined to win.

Noctowl followed his orders as its beak glowed white and flew straight towards Delibird. Delibird stood there unalarmed and calm watching the owl Pokemon flying towards him. Totodile blasted water from its mouth towards Chikorita quickly as she stood her ground readied.

"Delibird, use your Blizzard on Noctowl! Chikorita, dodge and use Razor Leaf!" she commanded.

Delibird took a deep breath and released a powerful blizzard that slowed Noctowl down while it kept trying to soar through the hazardous snowstorm. Chikorita dodged the Water Gun and threw her sharp leaves towards the panicky Totodile. Noctowl kept hanging on until a huge snowball hit it in the face and knocked him across the arena covered in snow while Totodile was hit forcefully as he got slammed and bounced from the impact.

"Noctowl, Totodile, are you okay?" Ash asked concerned for his Pokemon.

"Pika? Pika?" Pikachu asked also worried for his friends.

Noctowl hopped up and hovered over the ground a little wounded from the ice attack. Totodile jumped up on his feet bearing a few scratches here and there. Delibird smiled big and wide triumphal knowing he achieved in attacking with opponent with one of his new attacks and Chikorita shared the same feeling.

"Good job, you two!" she praised highly proud of her team.

"You're good, but this is just the beginning. Noctowl, use Confusion! Totodile, use Scratch on Delibird!" he instructed his Pokemon orderly.

Noctowl's eyes glowed light purple and attacked Chikorita mentally while Totodile's claws glowed white and dashed towards him. Chikorita's mind hurt from its Confusion attack while Delibird awaited his orders from Crystal.

"Delibird, use your Wing Attack on Totodile and Chikorita, attack Totodile along with Delibird with your Vine Whip."

Delibird's wings glowed white as he flew towards the Big Jaw Pokemon and attacked it with his glowing wings while Chikorita came up from behind and whipped it with her vines. Totodile cried out pained from the double attack and dropped to the ground unconscious.

"Return!" Ash recalled the knocked out Totodile back into its pokeball.

He picked up another pokeball and threw it out calling, "Go, Cyndaquil!"

The pokeball burst open and revealed a timid looking fire mouse that sat near Noctowl. Cyndaquil looked up at its opponents and saw them looking at him then started to fidget in his spot frightened.

"Noctowl, use Hypnosis! Cyndaquil, use Ember!" Ash commanded along with a cheering Pikachu.

Noctowl's eyes glowed light purple again and shot its sleeping rays towards them. Delibird was feeling a little sleepy and Chikorita shook off its fatigue and concentrated on the fight. Cyndaquil shot out small embers from its back and straight towards Chikorita.

"Delibird, use Ice Beam on Noctowl and Chikorita, dodge the embers and join in with Delibird with Solarbeam!"

Delibird snapped out of its sleepiness and shot a beam of ice from its mouth towards the shocked Noctowl. The owl Pokemon was frozen in a huge iceberg and was plummeting to the floor. Chikorita jumped away from the flames and gathered energy from the sun into her leaf. Once she gathered enough energy into her leaf, she shot the beam from the leaf and towards the awaiting owl. The beam flew straight towards the frozen Noctowl and smash into the owl breaking the iceberg into a million pieces. It plunged from the sky and lay on the dirt lying among the broken ice unconscious.

Ash recalled Noctowl back into its pokeball and whispered some words to it before he took out another pokeball and called out his Chikorita. The Chikorita stood by Cyndaquil readied to show him what he can do.

"Alright, Cyndaquil, use Quick Attack and Chikorita, use Vine Whip!"

Cyndaquil began to charge towards the two Pokemon with swift speed while Chikorita's vines shot towards the two over the rushing Cyndaquil.

"Delibird, use Blizzard. Chikorita, use Solarbeam!"

Delibird release a flurry of snow upon the opponent's Pokemon while Chikorita charged up with energy from its leaf. Cyndaquil was struggling to dash through the snowstorm while Chikorita's vines were slowing down from the powerful wind. Chikorita was charged ready to fire and let off the white beam towards the unsuspecting Cyndaquil, who didn't see the beam through the snow. The beam lit up the arena as it struck the small fire mouse Pokemon and made it fly back from the blast.

It rolled back on the ground with Ash and his Chikorita watching worriedly and stopped in front of him knocked out cold from the powerful beam. His face wore a concerned expression as he recalled back his Cyndaquil and called out his next Pokemon: Heracross, who looked calm next to Chikorita.

"A Heracross." Crystal whispered holding her Pokedex in her hand opened.

"Heracross. The Singlehorn Pokemon. With its Herculean powers, it can easily throw around an object that is 100 times its weight." The computer voice spoke showing a picture of Heracross on its screen."

"Now, Heracross, use Horn Attack on Delibird!"

Heracross flew towards the surprised Delibird and knocked him down with its huge horn. Delibird rolled back on its back while Chikorita ran over to him worriedly.

"Delibird, are you okay?" she asked troubled for her bird Pokemon.

He hopped up back onto its feet and eager to fight back against the calm-looking Heracross. Heracross didn't look fazed at its opponent and hovered by Chikorita.

"Delibird, use Focus Punch on Heracross and Chikorita, use Leech Seed."

Delibird took off towards Heracross and punched right in Heracross's face making him wince and leaving a crater on its face while Chikorita released seeds from its leaf at their opponents. Delibird jumped back avoiding the attack while the seeds hit them on the hit and the roots grew out and wrapped them in its leeching grasp. The seeds sucking off their health while they were getting shocked and electrocuted by the grass attack.

"Oh, no!"

"Now for the finish, use your Present and Petal Dance!" she declared excited to finish their battle.

Delibird pulled out a colorful-wrapped gift out of his sack and tossed the present to Heracross and Chikorita. They looked it questioningly wondering what it could be until the gift exploded into flames wrapping them into the blaze. Chikorita whirled up a flurry of purple petals and fired them straight to her challengers. They were knocked out by the dancing petals and landed on the ground unconscious.

Ash withdrew both of them into their pokeball and turned to his Pikachu saying, "Pikachu, you're up."

Pikachu nodded determined and jumped into the battle arena facing them with a serious expression.

"Pikachu, use Thundershock!" Ash called out to Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out releasing a powerful bolt of lightening.

They evaded the quick lightening bolt and jumped onto the ground unharmed.

"Quick Attack!"

Pikachu began to dash towards the two while they waited for their trainer to tell them what to do. The mouse Pokemon got closer and closer to Delibird and Chikorita while they continued to wait for Crystal to say something. She was forming a plan in her mind and clicked as she swung her arm around.

"Protect!"

Delibird stood up and held out his arms while a round multicolored sphere surrounded him and Chikorita. Pikachu was getting closer and smashed against the barrier head on. He continued running trying to break the barrier while Ash was getting a little frustrated from his unsuccessful moves. The sphere smacked against Pikachu as he was pushed back dragging his feet on the dirt. The sphere disappeared leaving them vulnerable again.

"Chikorita, use your Razor Leaf and Delibird, use Focus Punch."

Chikorita sent her flurry of leaves headed for the yellow mouse while Delibird soared slowly behind the barrage waiting for the hand to strike. Pikachu froze in his place shocked while the leaves struck him badly and Delibird soar up and knocked him across the arena a punch to the gut. Pikachu flew back and smashed against a nearby tree hard. He fell down lying against its back out cold while Ash cried out, "Pikachu!"

He ran up and picked up Pikachu gently cradling it in his arms. Crystal felt guilty and sad for beating up his favorite Pokemon like that and ran up to them asking concerned, "Is he okay?"

Ash turned and saw her looking worried at him and Pikachu with Delibird and Chikorita behind her. He nodded calmed saying, "He's fine. He's just tired. Too bad I didn't' bring any potions with me."

She pulled a potion from her pocket and handed it to him saying, "Here. Take this."

He looked at it in his hand and looked up at her with a smile and said, "Thank you."

He then sprayed the potion on Pikachu's many wounds as Pikachu woke and perked up at the sight of Ash.

"Pika, pika!" he exclaimed cheerily hugging Ash.

"Pikachu, you're okay!" Ash cried out happily hugging him back.

Crystal smiled watching the two best friends hug each other while Chikorita wiped her eyes with her vine and Delibird watched from behind. They stopped hugging while they turned to the helpful girl and Ash complimented, "You did great in battle. You must be an expert on Pokemon, I bet."

She blushed a little from the compliment and shook her head bashfully, "No, I'm just a rookie trainer. I'm not an expert trainer."

"Really?" he sounded surprised at her admitting she was only a rookie.

His red and black Pokegear shook in his pocket as he pulled it out and answered it quietly. After a few minutes of him talking on the Pokegear, he hung and turned back to her saying, "I have to go. My friends have finished doing some things and are at the Pokemon Center in Violet City."

She smiled at him and said, "You best be going back to your friends."

"Yeah, but still when I see you again, I want a rematch. Bye, Crystal." He ran off heading back on the route to Violet City with them watching curiously until they disappeared from their view.

"Let's go get you two healed." She said to her friends.

They nodded agreeing with her and they head off towards the nearest Pokemon Center.

The three journeyers were walking to the Pokemon Center that was located near Union Cave on her town map. Delibird was exhausted along with Chikorita because they had a practice battle a little while ago. Crystal was following her map until she saw the center's red roof from a distance. "There it is! The Pokemon Center." She pointed out pointing with her right index finger.

They walked up to the center until a black-haired overweight man jumped out in front of them from the bushes. "How would you like to have this tasty, nutritious Slowpoketail?" he asked holding out a cleaned cut Slowpoke's tail to the curious trio.

"A Slowpoketail?" she questioned confused looking at the pink tail with a white tip.

"Right, it's a tail that is cut off from the Pokemon, Slowpoke. Like I said, it's really tasty and nutritious. For you right now, just $1,000,000! You'll want this!" He excitedly persuades the young trainer into buying the chopped tail.

"No way! Who would want to buy a poor Slowpoke's tail for a million dollars?! No thanks, I'm not buying." She yelled furiously at the frightened man with her supporting Pokemon.

"You don't want it?" the man said puzzled at the girl. "Then, scram! Shoo!" he shooed about to push her away forcefully. Delibird popped in front of Crystal and bit the large man's hand tightly.

"AHHHHH!!!" he screamed in pain while Delibird released his hand and the man fell to the floor rolled in a fetal position comforting his hand.

"Delibird!" Delibird turned to his trainer and found her staring at him mad. "You shouldn't bite someone's hand like that!" she scolded him. Delibird hung his head disappointed until Crystal gave a small smile and said, "But, thanks for helping me, Delibird."

He lifted his head up to see her smiling and exclaimed happily, "Deli, Deli!" They walked away from the overwhelmed man sucking his hand away and headed inside the Pokemon Center.

TBC

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How did you like? The next chapter is coming right up! Bye. 


	8. Union Cave

Hello, everyone, it's me again! Thanks for reading and reviewing my story and I deeply appreciate it. Anyway, the next chapter is on and I hope you R&R for me. On witht the story! See ya later!

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Union Cave 

It was mid-afternoon as Crystal and her trusty Pokemon were inside the Pokemon Center eating breakfast before they start traveling through the Union Cave. They sat at a small table while Crystal ate a turkey sandwich Delibird gave her from her Mom and Chikorita and Delibird were eating their food in small bowls. She chewed her food savoring the great taste from her turkey sandwich while the other trainers watched the TV screen that was hanging from the wall.

The two Pokemon were done eating their food and jumped up on the chairs looking at their trainer. She opened her eye to see her team looking at her energetic as ever. "You two done eating already?" she asked glancing at their clean, empty bowls.

"Deli!" "Chika!" they both simultaneously answered smiling.

"Wow, you both are hungry eaters. I haven't finished with my sandwich yet." She held up her half-eaten sandwich to them.

"Hey, turn it up! I can't hear a thing!" a boy asked urgently while a girl turned up the volume on the TV. They all turned to the plasma TV to see everyone sit around it looking up listening to it closely and attentively.

On the TV screen, a news anchor woman was sitting at the desk announcing grimly, "Breaking News! An earthquake of a 4.5 of the Richter scale has beginning to erupt in the Union Cave today. Some witnesses say it was a powerful quake and authorities say that trainers and people should stay away from the Union Cave for their own safety."

Crystal watched thinking while Chikorita and Delibird continued to watch the TV interestedly. "So, we can't go through the Union Cave? How am I supposed to go to Azalea Town now?" she questioned disappointedly. She took another bite from her sandwich still thinking until the whole center began to shake rapidly.

The trainers screamed in surprise and fear while someone cried out, "It's the earthquake!"

Everyone fell to the floor terrified while Crystal went down to the floor with her Pokemon lying beside her scared. The earthquake continued until it stopped suddenly leaving nothing damaged or broken. The trainers looked up puzzled while Crystal lifted her head to find no one harmed. She stood up slowly and scanned around the room as her team stood up worried that another earthquake would break out again.

The trainers stood up again curious as Crystal sighed relieved and said to her Pokemon, "That was quite a scare." They both nodded relieved as well. Suddenly, everyone in the center heard multiple poilce sirens blaring out deafening to their ears.

"What was that?!" a female trainer screamed horrified holding her face with both hands.

"It's coming from outside!" a male trainer exclaimed alerted pointing at the entrance.

Everyone in the center quickly ran outside, including Nurse Joy, leaving the puzzled girl with her friends alone. She glanced at her two pals on each side and said, "I wonder what's going on."

She ran outside with her pals behind her and saw police cars lined across the entrance to the Union Cave and a crowd of noisy people trying to see what's wrong. She ran up to the crowd and pried her way through with Chikorita and Delibird following her holding on to her shorts. She was out from the massive crowd and saw the police positioned in front of the cave entrance looking like an emergency.

"This is a serious matter! Everyone, take your places!" a commander ordered the other policemen.

The men scrambled around the entrance while some ran inside with first aid and other medical equipment. There were three men holding back the crowd while a police car pulled up and crossed in front of the crowd. The door opened widely and another policeman stepped out with shades on his face and a serious expression. He titled his head forward covering his moosed black hair before he looked around the area inspecting it coldly. Crystal felt a chill running down her back from even looking at the man.

"Sergeant Hatake!" a fellow policeman ran up to the sergeant and saluted him.

Sergeant Hatake turned to the private and asked earnestly, "How's the situation?"

He stopped saluting and spoke worriedly, "It's bad, Sarge. We tracked the whole cave, but we couldn't find them. There are many obstacles that the men couldn't overcome. In 20 minutes, there would be another earthquake that could possibly wipe out anything inside."

He nodded slowly and questioned critically, "Do you have any Pokemon that could help the searchers?"

The policeman shook nervously at the question that made the sergeant frown more. 'N..N..N-no, sir." He stuttered with his whole body shaking.

"Then, no wonder you couldn't find the others yet, you fool!!!" the sergeant hollered furiously at the cowering man before he pulled out his rolled newspaper and smacked him mercilessly. He stopped hitting the man and hissed at him, "Now, get out of my sight."

The man saluted again terrified before he ran off willing to get away from the high-ranked man. Sergeant Hatake let out a huge frustrated sigh and turned to the crowd. He then saw Crystal with Delibird and Chikorita by her side and it clicked his mind. He walked over to the puzzled girl and spoke to her, "Excuse me?"

"Yes?" she said a little frightened.

"Are these Pokemon yours?" he motioned to blanked-look Chikorita and Delibird.

"Yes, they are." She nodded to the sergeant.

"I see. Could you come with me?" he turned and walked back to where he stood while they got through the police barricade and stepped to him. He turned slowly and nodded towards her. "Miss, we need your cooperation for this rescue?"

"What's going on?"

"The earthquake that erupted a minute ago caused a lot of problems for us to deal with. First, there are people possibly injured stuck in the cave with their Pokemon and can't get out. Second, my men couldn't go through the cave because of so many obstacles in their way. Third, there's supposed to be another earthquake that will erupt in approximately 20 minutes. And fourth, none of us has any Pokemon support to help us through this epidemic. So I ask of you, would you and your Pokemon help us rescue the people and the Pokemon inside before another earthquake starts again?"

"Sure, I'd love to help."

"Good, good. Now, go into the cave and find the trapped people inside and if you need any help, my men will be happy to help." He pointed to the cave entrance for her and told her the plan.

"Okay." She replied understanding what he said.

"Oh, can you give me your name and phone number? Just in case, we need to contact you." He asked holding out a notepad.

She nodded and wrote out her name and phone number onto the small yellow notepad for the sergeant. After she finished it, she handed it back to him while he analyzed her curvy handwriting.

He nodded affirmatively and spoke, "Good, good. Now, go rescue those trainers and their Pokemon."

She nodded before she ran towards the entrance with Delibird and Chikorita following behind. She entered the Union Cave and found it be totally dark, wet, and old to her taste. There were broken rocks lying on the floor blocking the route going through the cave for the trainers. She also saw the huge crack in the ground that looked impossible to jump over.

"No wonder, no one can get through it. Delibird, see if you can find anyone here that needs help." She told Delibird, who was standing next to her.

"Deli!" he nodded understandingly before he flew off into the cave searching for any injured trainers or Pokemon.

She turned to her leaf Pokemon and said, "Chikorita, we'll need to clear the path for anyone we find." Chikorita agreed nodding to her before they started to clean up. Chikorita used her vines to pull rocks away from the road while Crystal pushed the boulders away as hard as she could. They finished clearing the path for the trainers to pass through until Delibird flew back from the shadows and headed towards them.

"Deli! Deli!" he called urgently to Crystal flying above her.

"You've found someone, Delibird?" she asked her delivery Pokemon.

"De!" he replied flying off motioning her to come.

Crystal ran off with Chikorita following Delibird through the ruined, old cave. They ran up a slippery slope and found a big horrified hiker with his Geodude cowering in fear next to him in the small dark corner. They all went up to the fear-stricken partners as Crystal asked concerned, "Are you two okay?"

The scared hiker looked from the dirt ground and up at the caring girl. "W-Who are you? Are you here to help me and Geodude?"

"Yes, I'm Crystal Higarashi. I'm here to help you out of Union Cave before another earthquake start up again. Can you stand?"

He stood up from the ground with the help of his cane and Geodude as he replied gratefully and dramatically, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm fine! Please show me the way!"

"Okay, follow me. Stay close."

She led the traumatized hiker and his helpful Geodude through the now clear path and to the huge opening that led outside. Once they were outside, the policemen ran over to the hiker and began to surround him while a policeman came up and asked, "Are you alright, sir? Are you injured?"

The hiker nodded and spoke, "I'm fine, I'm fine. Nothing to worry." He turned to the helpful bluenette and thanked her again, "Thank you, young lady, for all your help." He walked over to the police force with the policemen while she stood by the entrance.

"One down, many to go. Now, let's go find the others fast." She ran back inside along with the others continuing their search for the lost trainers.

After a while, they found another hiker, two Pokemaniacs, a pyromaniac, and a fighter trapped inside the cave and showed them the way out. She walked outside the cave and found Sergeant Hatake and the police force surrounding a piece of machinery that stood by the cave entrance. She walked to Sergeant Hatake and poked his shoulder lightly catching his attention. He glanced over his head seeing Crystal and turned his body around to face her.

"Sergeant Hatake, I think that's the last of the trapped trainers." she told remembering searching for every nook and corner for the helpless trainers.

He nodded processing the information and replied, "I see. Excuse me for a minute." He turned to the comrade at the computer and ordered, "Scan the cave for anyone or anything in every floor."

"Roger." The man pressed some buttons as the radar appeared on the green computer screen for everyone to see. He continued to type in more information until the screen beeped loudly.

"Sir, I'm getting a report that there is one more person inside trapped. It seems it's a young boy with his Pokemon. He's in the lower level of the cave." He reported to Hatake glancing over his shoulder to him.

"I see." He nodded looking at the screen to see two flashing dots on the radar.

He turned to the small girl and spoke, "Crystal, there's one more person still inside and he's with his Pokemon. He's in the lower level of the cave and I don't know if we have any more time left. Now, there's only 10 minutes. Basically, if we put you in there along with your Pokemon, you all will die. But, you don't, the boy and his Pokemon will die." He lowered his head sadly to the ground.

She felt sad as well, but though of a quick plan. "I could go in and get them out before the earthquake."

"Are you sure?" he was shocked at her bravery.

"Positive. Right, everyone?" she glanced at her best friends beside her.

"Deli!" he raised his hand up willingly to help.

"Chika!" she lifted her hand up readily to do anything for her trainer.

"Okay, go get them!" she cheered along with her Pokemon.

She ran back inside along with them into the cave and headed through the cave without a second. During their run, she turned her head to Delibird, who flew beside, and said, "Delibird, see if you can find a stairwell." Delibird flew away from the group and scanned the cave for a hidden stairwell.

A minute later, they waited for the news from Delibird patiently until he flew back with a please look on his face. He paused and floated above her after they saw Delibird flying towards him.

"Did you find one?" she asked hoping he found the mysterious stairwell.

He nodded and started to fly off again as they followed him through the big twisted cave. They went through that for a while until Crystal spotted the hidden stairwell Delibird saw first. They stood around the steep stairway looking down at it puzzled not knowing what's down there.

"Wow, it's very deep and dark." She commented bending on her knees looking down the wide gap.

She stood up again and descended down the stairs quickly with Delibird gliding and Chikorita sprinting behind her. The stone steps were very wet and squeaky as they stepped down on each of them. They entered the lower level and reached down the last step with the bluenette searching for the last trainer. There was a big lake on the other side of the room and huge rocks fencing around the body of water until it stopped leaving a small opening. She stepped up and observed the humid room with her big, crystalline eyes of hers.

"Hmm…this is going to be difficult." She mumbled turning her heads scanning the area for the lost trainer.

"Chika!" Chikorita cried out pointing at something with her leaf.

She turned her head to where she was pointing and found a young boy's body lying on the muddy dirt beside the lake unconscious. They dashed towards him willing to help the trainer get out of the cave before the earthquake starts to shake Union Cave again. With each passing step, they eventually reached the fallen boy as Crystal's deep blue eyes froze with realization until they reached him in a short while. Chikorita instantly recognized him and frowned at his out cold body. Delibird shot a blank look at both of them wondering if they knew the trainer.

"Silver…" she whispered softly.

TBC

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It took me a day to finish this. How you like it? The next chapter is coming. Bye. 


	9. Escape!

Hello! This is the new chapter! Thanks for reviewing and reading the story, I've been getting a lot of good hits lately. Anyway, here's the chapter and please R&R! See ya!

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Escape!

Right in front of them, there laid an unconscious, injured Silver lying on the ground on his chest with Cyndaquil by his side trying to wake him up. Cyndaquil kept nudging his trainer to wake up desperately and frightened not getting an answer from him. Silver's clothes had some small tears and holes in it, probably from the earthquake attack.

She stepped up to her helpless rival and bended down to her knees by his side. She turned his body over letting him lay on his back instead. Cyndaquil jumped at the sight of her while she glanced at the little jumpy fire mouse.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright." She flashed a comforting smile at him.

After he broke off his shaking and her Pokemon explained the whole situation to him, she monitored her rival and saw how his face was scratched many times as if he was struggling to get out of the cave during the earthquake. She also saw how peaceful and friendly he looked when he slept instead of his bad, sneering, glaring self. She knew from that instance that it was time to help Silver and Cyndaquil and get them someplace safe.

"Delibird," she glanced at her loyal red and white bird while he turned his vital attention to her. "You can carry Cyndaquil out while I carry Silver out of the cave. We don't have enough time to have a chat before the earthquake return."

"Deli." He nodded understood turning back to Cyndaquil before picking him up gently and carefully.

Crystal placed her arms under Silver smoothly and lifted him up on his feet slowly. She had some problem trying to stand him up correctly due to his weight as she peeked at Chikorita and asked kindly, "Chikorita, can you please help me for a minute?"

"Chika." She agreed using her vines to help Crystal lift the lifeless Silver up on his feet.

Then, she turned around letting her back face Silver's front and crouched down saying seriously, "Okay, you can let him go."

Chikorita loosened her vines a little making him fall softly on her back. She then wrapped her arms around his legs in a circle and had his arms wrap around her neck like she's giving him a piggyback. She stood up cautiously knowing that he won't fall from her grasp and spun towards her Pokemon.

"Okay, everyone. Time to go."

She walked slowly across the room and up the stairs with Chikorita and Delibird carrying the terrified Cyndaquil were trailing behind her silently.

Outside of Union Cave, Sergeant Hatake was watching the cave entrance hoping the helpful young girl and her friendly Pokemon would come out safe and sound with the last trainer and his Pokemon.

"Sergeant Hatake!" a fellow policeman ran up to Sergeant Hatake with urgent news.

He glanced his head over his shoulder and at the policeman. "What is it?"

He saluted respectfully and informed, "Sir, we have some information that the earthquake will start its activity earlier than what we expect."

He turned around alerted and questioned, "Exactly, how early?"

"4 minutes, sir."

Sergeant Hatake slapped his face with his own hand while the policeman looked surprised.

"No, no, no! This can't be happening! That girl and her Pokemon are still inside with the last trainer and his Pokemon! Private, go get me a Pokegear immediately!" he ordered fearfully in his loud, earsplitting voice.

"Y-Yes, sir!" He ran away scared by the sergeant and towards the command center fetching the Pokegear.

He came back and handed him the small black and blue Pokegear model to Sergeant Hatake. He took the Pokegear and began typing the phone number with the touch pad. He finished typing and held it up to his ear listening to the expected rings. Except for, he didn't get a ring; instead he got a mechanical voice saying, _"Sorry, but this number is out of service." _

"Damnit!" he cursed loudly and frustrated at the machine starling the other policemen greatly.

He spun to the nearest policeman and shouted nervously, "Why isn't this thing working?!"

"What does it say?"

"It says it's out of service."

"She's in a cave, sir. The Pokegear doesn't work in caves, there's no signal in there."

"Shoot! Can't this thing do anything else?!"

"Well, you can text message her instead of calling her."

"Good!" He furiously started to enter his urgent little message on the small machine. He finished typing the message down and sighed anxiously wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Inside the Union Cave, the group was heading towards the exit that led to the Pokemon Center where the policemen were. Crystal was having no problems carrying the unconscious Silver, Chikorita walked by her supporting her in any way, and Delibird kept up with them carrying the sleeping Cyndaquil in his arms.

Silver was beginning to wake up from his long sleep and opened his eyes slowly to see that he was moving and not walking at all. His eyes widened alerted and pulled away a little to see a certain annoying brat he knows was carrying him.

"Wha?" he questioned confused.

She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him relieved. "Well, good morning, Silver. I hope you slept well."

He sneered at her bothered by her little statement and questioned irritated, "Why are you carrying me like a child? I can walk on my own."

"For one, you were unconscious and I had to carry you in order to help you. And second, you can't walk around in the state you're in."

He gave a small pout and looked the other way while she smiled at him and continued to look ahead. She strolled through the cave closing in the exit before her Pokedex began to vibrate humming on her chest.

"A call? In here?"

She let go of one of Silver's leg letting it hang near her leg while she pulled it up to her face to read the caller I.D. She narrowed her eyes trying to read the text in a dark cave in the place like that. She finally stepped into a stream of light and read the message that said, _**"Crystal, the earthquake is coming earlier that we expected! You must head the other side of the cave instead of the one we are on immediately! The earthquake is coming towards you!"**_

"Oh, no." she muttered fearing settling in her voice.

He looked curiously over her shoulder and asked, "What does it say?"

She glanced at him and warned, "Silver, you better hang on real tight."

All of the sudden, the cave started to shake tremendously while cracks appeared on the ground shooting straight towards the unexpected group. Rocks that hung on the ceiling broke off their support and fell to the ground breaking into millions of pieces around them. Crystal gulped nervously and Silver wrapped his arms around her neck tightly, but lightly in case he accidentally chokes her. Delibird and Chikorita were freaked out by this sudden event as Cyndaquil slept peacefully.

"RUN!!!!" she screamed out dashing towards the opposite side of the cave with her Pokemon. She raced through the rocky path avoiding the fallen boulders and wide cracks on the ground while Silver watched her race through the maze of terror and horror just to survive. She leapt over a long crevice and jumped over a huge boulder not letting Silver go.

They continued like that until she spotted a great, bright light at the end of the cave that gave hope to her. They sprinted towards the bright light until they reached the outside and an enormous rock fell behind them sealing the cave not letting anyone or anything enter or leave the cave. She collapsed on her stomach breathing heavily exhausted from the long run with Silver on her back as Silver rolled over to her left and laid on his back beside her. Chikorita dropped right beside her trainer while Delibird spun around deliriously and collapsed on his back with a sleeping Cyndaquil in his arms.

She took off her backpack and put it aside where the egg couldn't break easily and lay on her back facing the warm sun. She closed her eyes enjoying the peace that filled the area around them until she felt someone struggling to sit up straight. She spun her head to see Silver trying to sit up from the comfortable grass and sat on his knees breathing hardly.

"Silver."

She sat straight up from the nice grass and crawled on her fours towards the badly injured boy. His head was titled down with his long red mane covering his whole face from her view. He kept breathing deeply as she paused in front of him and leaned towards him worriedly.

"Are you okay…Silver?"

He didn't answer her question making her frown a little until she pulled a lock of red hair from his face and pulled it over his ear gently. She gasped lightly seeing his cold, deadly eyes turned into calm, friendly ones that stared at her kindly like that former Silver would never do. Unexpectedly, he grasped her shoulders tenderly making her jumped surprised while he embraced her tightly, yet delicately like a flower. For once in her life, she was totally speechless and shocked to see her rival turned around from sour to sweet after an event like that.

"Thank you…Crystal." He whispered in her ear softly filled with emotions she never even believed was there.

She flushed light red awkward of the moment as she replied back with a little stutter shyly, "…Y-You're welcome, …Silver."

He slowly pulled back from their hug as she saw how red his face was that kind of matched his fiery red hair. She giggled at him before she felt her pink and white Pokegear shook again humming against her chest. She turned away from her changed rival and pulled it up to her mouth to answer.

"Hello?

_"Crystal? Thank heavens that you're all right! We just experienced that monstrosity of an earthquake right outside of the cave and thought you were all dead. Are you okay? Did you find the boy and his Pokemon?"_ Sergeant Hatake's worried voice came through the speaker.

"I'm fine and I found the trainer and his Pokemon, so don't worry."

"_Good, good! Tell me, is he hurt by any way?" _

"Yes, he's very injured."

_"I see. Crystal, take the boy and his Pokemon to the Pokemon Center in Azalea Town and get Nurse Joy to heal him back to heal as well as his Pokemon."_

"Okay, bye."

She pressed the phone button again on her Pokegear hanging up on Sergeant Hatake and twirled her body around to face Silver to see that he was completely gone. She sat up quickly and scanned around the area to find the beaten redhead.

"Where he'd go?" She looked at her Pokemon and saw Delibird, who was carrying Cyndaquil, empty-handed.

"Delibird, where's Cyndaquil?" she asked hoping he knew where they are.

"Deli, de!" he responded pointing with his wing to the north behind his trainer.

She turned her head to the direction where Delibird was pointing and jumped up running down the pathway with Chikorita and Delibird ran behind her hurriedly to find her missing rival and Cyndaquil.

Meanwhile, on the same route, Silver was crawling on the hard, rocky ground with his scratched up arms because his legs were broken while he tripped down the stairwell during the earthquake. He struggled to decide to either rest or keep on going running away from the blue-haired brat he hates. Cyndaquil was with him walking along with him worried and trying to be helpful to his trainer He kept crawling determined to get away from all those embarrassing emotions and feelings that he recently showed to the one who gave it to him: Crystal. He stopped crawling and laid on the ground breathing tiredly sweating a little while Cyndaquil looked at him concerned for his trainer.

"Cynda? Cyndaquil?" Cyndaquil tried to persuade his trainer to go back to Crystal.

"I'm not going back…I'm not going back to that blue-haired brat ever again…I'm definitely not going to show my feelings around her again!" He huffed in-between breaths holding half his body up exhaustedly.

Cyndaquil bowed its head down in defeat before Silver decided to continue his crawling until…

"Silver! Cyndaquil! Where are you?" Crystal's worried voice called out from the bushes behind them.

"Deli, de!" Delibird called out anxiously.

"Chika! Chika!" Chikorita called out sounding the same as his trainer.

He glanced back and saw the troublesome trio heading their way through the tall grass behind them. He frowned at the sight of them and said to Cyndaquil, "Get in the bush."

He rolled over and went through a long, thick vibrant bush while Cyndaquil ran in after him without any hesitation. Silver lay on the ground hiding in the bush's collage with Cyndaquil as they quietly watched Crystal run out of the grass with her two Pokemon. She stood at the middle of the area and looked very worried.

"Silver! Cyndaquil! Are you here?"

They watched them try to search for them around the area endlessly while they hid in the bushes' collage mutely avoiding its pointy thorns and branches. Silver watched his rival call out to him with a concerned look on her face and felt a painful sting hit his heart that made him wince. Cyndaquil looked over and saw his trainer wincing in pain, as he looked helpless to not even help his trainer. Crystal stood in her place calling out to her badly injured rival and his Pokemon while Delibird and Chikorita searched around the grass and trees to find nothing.

After a few minutes of continuous searching, she spun her body around and let out a stressed sigh while her Pokemon were searching through the trees. She opened her eyes to see Silver and Cyndaquil hiding in the bush in front of her watching her. She flashed a relieved smile before she walked over and bended down in front of the nervous duo.

"There you are!" she cocked her head to the side and beamed at him nicely.

He scowled at her aware that he was caught and that he'll never run away from the blue brat again with her in the way. Cyndaquil put a hand to his head and looked calm knowing his trainer would be better with Crystal around. She grabbed his arms through the thick bush and pulled him out slowly and steadily making he wasn't scratched. She pulled him in the middle of the area while Cyndaquil walked out and came up to his trainer. She laid him down gently and walked to the side bending down to inspect his some serious and painful wounds. Silver sighed defeated lying down tired and extremely exhausted from the tiresome escape.

She took her backpack off and dug through it searching for something important that got him curious to know. She pulled out a roll of gauze, scissors, bandages, alcohol, and ointment from the bag and set it down next to her. After she was done digging with her backpack, she picked up the bottle of alcohol and twisted it open with him watching her.

He looked at her wondering why she paused suddenly and saw her smiling at him sheepishly. "Sorry, but I have to take your clothes off, if you don't mind."

He scoffed and turned his head keeping his wounded pride, "Be my guest."

She took off his shirt first letting her see his muscular chest as her face blushed beet red trying to remember that he was injured and she wasn't supposed to marvel at his chest.

"This will hurt a little, but bear with me, would you?" she asked kindly pouring a little alcohol into her tissue.

He gave her a small frown and turned his head around while she giggled silently at his childish pouting.

She took the alcohol-soaked tissue and pressed it against his scratches gently as he jumped reacting to the alcohol on his wounds. She pressed some more alcohol to his wounds letting it disinfect it while he tried to keep a cool face on bearing the pain and not showing weakness to his rival. She was done rubbing alcohol on him and put the bottle and the tissues away as Cyndaquil stepped up holding the bandages and the roll of gauze for her. She gave him a friendly smile as she took the things from the fire mouse and rubbed his head gently saying thanks.

She began to place the bandages on his small scratches and wrap the gauze around his most serious wounds. He felt her warm hands touching his body tenderly wrapping the gauze while his face flushed red from her warm, gentle touch. She finished bandaging his chest, arms, and shoulders before she put his shirt back on and took off his pants slowly. She turned reddish in the face seeing his legs while she pressed alcohol on them and started to bandage them with her gauze. When she was done pouring the alcohol on his wounds, he felt very sleepy and decided to nap as she saw him sleep peacefully while bandaging his leg.

After a while, Chikorita and Delibird were coming back from their search for their trainer's wounded rival and didn't find him through the trees. They were walking back defeated and sighing sadly before they looked up to see her treating her founded rival's wounds. She glanced over her shoulder to see them shocked yet surprised as she put a finger to her lips motioning them to be silent. They walked over and helped her treat his wounds.

They stood back and watched Crystal put his pants back on and rubbed his red hair comforting making him wake up from his nap. She sat back up and watched him sit up and inspected himself very closely. They put her things back into her bag and Cyndaquil was relieved to see his trainer up and well again.

She kept watching him inspect before she suggested, "Why don't you stand up and see for yourself?"

He turned his head away in shame and muttered something inaudible to her.

"Say what?" she questioned leaning in to hear well.

He rolled his eyes in irritation as he repeated humiliated, "I can't."

'You can't why?"

"My legs are broken."

"Oh…I can help you with that. Lay down." She ordered crawling up to him while he lay back on the ground again.

She took one of his legs and held it up as she glanced at him and warned him, "This will seriously hurt."

She twisted his leg roughly letting it crack loudly for the whole world to hear cringing at the horrible noise while Silver screamed out pained, "AHHH!!!! THAT HURTS!!!" The birds in the trees flew away from the horrific screams of pain from the boy scared.

He struggled to get out form her grasp while she tried to grab the other leg and fix it as well. "Hold still!" she ordered grabbing hold of the other leg while avoiding his other foot trying to kick her away.

"Get away!" he shouted annoyed at the girl.

She grasped his leg tightly before she twisted it around letting it crack loudly again making him scream out in agony. He stopped screaming and fell on the ground while she laid his leg down on the ground softly and the Pokemon cringed at the awful sound from fixing his legs. She watched him sit up slowly and inspected his now fixed legs carefully.

"You can try them out, you know." She said standing up from the ground looking at him.

He gave her an annoyed glare and retorted, "I know."

He pushed himself off the ground with his hands and stood up on his feet again. He looked at himself and tested his legs by walking around or moving them. She watched satisfied that she was able to help him and fix his legs again. He stopped looking at himself and turned to her to see her smiling at him. He turned his head away embarrassed from her kind smile she was giving to him while she walked up to him.

"Are your legs fine?"

"Yeah…thanks." He muttered softly with his head still turned.

"No problem." She waved it off.

He didn't say a thing as he walked over and picked up Cyndaquil in his arms before he started to walk away toward Azalea Town. When he tried to walk away, she stood in his way with her arms held out blocking the way.

"Wait! Where are you going? Do you think you're well enough to go on your own again? Do you want me to go with you?"

He looked at her with his cold silver eyes again while Cyndaquil looked at his trainer's face and cringed at his serious expression. She winced at the cold eyes a little while he didn't show any emotion or expression on his face.

"No. I don't need your help. So, step aside." He coldly spoke to her.

He shoved her aside as he continued to walk towards the next town leaving her to watch him helplessly. She let out another defeated sigh seeing him leave her view. She looked down to see a white silver-trimmed handkerchief lying on the ground at her feet. She picked it up and looked at it to see the name, _Silver_, sewn in it in silver trimming. She gave a little smile before she faced her loyal friends and said, "Well, guys. Azalea Town is right around the corner. You two should rest in your Pokeballs before we challenge the Gym Leader."

They nodded smiling at her before Crystal recalled them back into their balls again. She put them on her belt gently before she spun around and started to run heading towards the small town where her next gym battle would be.

TBC

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That's the end. The next chapter is coming soon. Bye! 


	10. Slowpoke Well

Hi! It's me again! Thank for you for reading and reviewing the story. I hope this will please you and please R&R! Bye!

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Slowpoke Well 

The young blue-haired trainer, Crystal, was walking along the route heading towards the next town, Azalea Town, with Chikorita and Delibird resting in their pokeballs. She walked up a small slope in the middle of the ledge until she saw a suspicious black-clad character blocking something important.

"What is he guarding?" she questioned watching the man scanning the area protectively.

She pulled out her Town Map and opened it while she looked at where she is. "It says here that the Slowpoke Well is right here. I'm guessing that's what he's guarding."

She walked up to the shady man dressed in black with her map in her hand and asked nicely, "Excuse me, but why are you blocking the Slowpoke Well?"

He turned his attention to the trainer in front of him and explained; "It's unsafe to go in there, so I'm standing guard. Aren't I a good Samaritarian?"

He flashed her a quick smile while she gawked at his weird behavior and slowly said, "…O-kay."

She turned her back to him and strolled to the town leaving the man to continue his guarding. She was inside Azalea Town as she looked around and found some people looking worriedly and felt so empty. She found a sign next to the Pokemon Center and it said, "Azalea Town. Where People and Pokemon Live in Happy Harmony."

"How come I feel no harmony from this place?" she muttered to herself puzzled.

She then remembered something as she pulled her Pokegear up to her eye level and dialed her Mom's phone number. She waited for her to pick up while hearing it ring a few times.

She heard it pick up as her Mom's voice asked, _"Hello?"_

"Hello, Mom? It's Crystal!" she spoke happy to hear her Mom's voice again.

"_Oh, Crystal! How are you doing? Are you in Azalea Town? How are your Pokemon? Did you have everything you need?"_

"I'm fine. Yes, I'm in Azalea Town. They are fine and thanks for Delibird. And I have everything I need."

"_Good, good."_

"So, why did you want me to call you for? Do you want something?" she asked twirling with one of her pigtails.

"_Well, no. I just miss you and I want to see how you are doing and to see if Delibird reached you yet. Besides, it's very lonely over here. You should visit me more often." _

"Well, I will once I find a way to go back home."

"_Why don't you take the route through the Union Cave?"_

"You know why, didn't you watch the news, Mom?"

"_No."_

She put a hand over the speaker and let out a big sigh before she returned explaining, "There was an earthquake around the Union Cave area and now, the entrance to the Union Cave is blocked."

"_I see. There is another route that is past Goldenrod City that leads you back to Violet City, but many people can't pass it because of a strange tree. Once that is taken care of, you can visit me anytime. Or if you acquired the move Fly, then you can fly home instead of walking home."_

"Great."

"_Oh, by the way, you should go visit the guardian shrine in Ilex Forest."_

"Guardian shrine? Ilex Forest?" she questioned confused about the places.

"Yes, there is a shrine in Ilex Forest that is near Azalea Town that housed the forest's guardian. They say if you pray to it, you'll be rewarded with good luck and fortune."

"Really? Maybe, I should visit it on the way to Goldenrod City." She thought it over while she said it to mother.

"_You should. Oh! I better go, Mrs. Masaki is waiting for me. We're supposed to go shopping today. Call me when you're at Goldenrod City! Bye, Sweety! I love you!"_

"Bye, Mom! Love you too!" she quickly said before she hung up and dropped the Pokegear letting it hit her chest softly.

She stretched out her arms sleepily and stretched her body while she said, "I better find the gym first."

She walked towards the gym and found another devious black-dressed man blocking the entrance to the gym. She walked up to him curious while he flashed her a doubtful smile and said, "Do you know about Slowpoketail? I heard it's tasty! Aren't you glad I told you that?"

She sighed deeply remembering that little incident with the scammer a little while back. "Do I really have to listen to this?" she mumbled to herself sauntering over to the center of town.

She stalked off around town until she found a house that had its windows boarded up and had a sign outside that said, "Charcoal Kiln's House." "Is something going on?" she questioned entering the house to see a man and a teenage boy sitting across from each other with a Farfetch'd lying against the wall holding its stick. She walked up to the mumbling man and asked, "Excuse me? Is there something wrong with the town?"

The man turned to the curious bluenette and answered shortly, "All the Slowpoke has disappeared from the town."

"The Slowpoke?" she cocked to her head to the side remembering the dumb Pokemon.

He nodded replying, "Yes, the Slowpoke live with us in this town for ages. One day, they disappeared and never returned. We thought they were on the outskirts goofing around, but nobody has ever saw them. The forest's protector may be angry with us…It may be a bad omen. We should stay in."

He turned his attention to the young boy across from him while he asked the man, "Where have all the Slowpoke gone? Are they out playing somewhere?"

The man shook his head and told him, "No, if they were playing somewhere, then someone would have told us. If don't know where they are."

Troubled by the situation, she exited the guarded house and walked around thinking in deep thought. "The Slowpoke has disappeared, mysterious man blocking Slowpoke Well, and the selling of Slowpoketails."

She stopped in front of a house while a nice woman walked up to her and asked, "Are you here to see Kurt?"

She snapped out of her thoughts and focused on the woman in front of her. "Kurt?" she asked confused of who she's talking about.

She gave a understanding smile and explained, "Oh, you're new here. Kurt is a master of pokeballs; he makes various kinds of pokeballs out of apricorns. He usually makes them for young trainers like you. Why don't you visit him while you're here?"

"He makes pokeballs? Sure! Where does he live?" she asked excited to have a custom-made pokeball.

She pointed to her right and answered, "His house is right there."

She glanced at where she was pointing and found the house standing there by her side. She embarrassedly laughed and politely said, "Thanks."

The woman skipped away happily while Crystal walked to the house and entered inside to see a grown man sitting on a mat and a little pig-tailed girl sitting on another mat. The little girl was twirling her black hair while the man sat there looking agitated. She walked up to the man and asked, "Excuse me, are you Kurt, master of pokeballs?"

The man broke out of his agitation and glanced at the innocent bluenette asking, "Hm? Who are you?"

"I'm Crystal Higarashi from New Bark Town. Are you Kurt, the master of pokeballs?" she asked again.

He nodded to her and said, "Crystal, eh? You want me to make some balls for you?"

She nodded to the man with respect and replied, "Yes."

He shook his head slowly and frowned disappointedly, "Sorry, but that'll have to wait. Do you know Team Rocket?" She shot him a blank look that sent him the message that she doesn't know. He smiled a little and continued, "Ah, don't worry. I'll tell you anyhow. Team Rocket's an evil gang that uses Pokemon for their dirty work. They're supposed to have disbanded three years ago. Anyway, they're at the well cutting off Slowpokes's tails for sale!" He stood up bravely and continued exclaiming, "So, I'm going to go give them a lesson in pain! Hang on, Slowpoke. Old Kurt is on his way!" He charged out of his home leaving the two girls to watch in amazement.

The little girl's face dropped sadly while she mumbled sorrowfully, "Grandpa's gone…I'm so lonely…" She stood up and walked towards the corner where her dolls were.

Crystal felt sad for the little girl that her grandfather left her all alone with no one to play with, frankly she haven't even seen a child in this town since she got here. She realized that Kurt charged towards Slowpoke Well and followed him leaving his lonely granddaughter alone.

She ran through town and went to the Slowpoke Well to see no one blocking the well now. "Kurt is really determined to save the Slowpoke. And I'm going to help him!" she cheered running down the old stone stairwell into the damp, ancient well.

She paused at the last step and found Kurt lying against the wall breathing heavily and holding his back injured. "Kurt?" She jogged up to the Master of Balls and bent down to see him face to face. "What happened?"

He held his head up seeing the bluenette looking worried at him while he brightened up though he was injured. "Hey there, Crystal! The guard up top took off when I shouted at him. But then I took a tumbling down the wall. I slammed down hard on my back, so I can't move."

"I see." She muttered seeing him hold his back pained.

He then slammed his fit into the ground and cursed upset, "Rats! If I were fit, my Pokemon would've punished them…Ah, it can't be helped. Crystal," She glanced curious at him when he spoke her name. "Show them how gusty you are in my place!"

She nodded confidently and stood up exclaiming, "Alright, Kurt! I'll show Team Rocket not to mess with Slowpokes or anyone. I'm off!" She started to run down the creaky hallway while Kurt watched her smiling knowing she would defeat Team Rocket like a boy did 3 years ago.

She took off running down the dimmed lit hallway until a Team Rocket Grunt popped out in front of her and spoke upset, "Some old coot shouted at me and made me stumbled down the stairs. I can vent my anger out on you! Go, Koffing!" He threw the pokeball out and a Koffing appeared right in front of her. "Koffing." It spoke with its smiling face.

"Oh, a Koffing." She said amazed pulling up Pokedex. "Okay, then. Delibird, I choose you!" she threw her pokeball and Delibird popped out doing its pose. "All right, Delibird, use Aurora Beam!" she commanded confidently.

"Deli! De!" it shot a beam from its mouth as it struck Koffing hard in the stomach.

"Koffing!" it cried out pained from the beam attack.

"Koffing, use Smog!" he shouted irritated to his cringing Koffing. His Koffing blew out poisonous smog that covered the battlefield and left the two trainers out. "Delibird, you okay?" she called worried for him. Just then, Delibird shot up above the thick black cloud flying over it while Koffing looked up at it from the inside. "Delibird, blow away that cloud with your Whirlwind." She instructed an awaiting Delibird. He flapped his wings constantly as wind built up and pushed the black fog away from the field.

He landed on the ground in front of Crystal while the Team Rocket Grunt looked peeved. "Koffing, use your Tackle!"

"Koffing!" it cried out charging towards the bird in a slow speed.

"Time to end this. Use your Ice Punch!"

Delibird readied his icy powers into his fist and as Koffing was a foot away from him, Delibird sent a powerful blow to Koffing's small round body. The mighty punch made Koffing crash into a wall nearby making a small crater in the wall. Koffing was unconscious lying against the wall while Team Rocket Grunt cried out baffled, "Oh, no!"

"Good job, Delibird!" she praised her Pokemon while Delibird stood tall and proud with his head held high. She recalled him back into his pokeball with a red beam and pocketed it on her belt. She continued going down the hallway passing Team Rocket crying defeated with his out cold Koffing. She was running up some small stone steps and onto a platform before a shrilly-female voice cried out, "Stop right there!"

Crystal stopped and glanced at where she heard it from as a red-haired Team Rocket Grunt stepped from the shadows. The Rocket Grunt scrutinized while the girl was prepared for whatever she'll pull out. The Rocket Grunt took another step and crossed her arms seriously. "Why are you here?" she questioned her earnestly.

"I'm here to put a stop to your scheme of cutting off Slowpokes' tails." She replied back filled with confidence and determination.

The Rocket Grunt narrowed her brown eyes while she scoffed, "So, what? Slowpokes' tails grow back. Besides, if we obeyed you, then our rep would be totally ruined!"

"That's too bad. Your rep is already ruined anyway." She calmly stated putting a hand next to her pokeballs.

"Like you know. Ekans, go!" she called out throwing her pokeball up in the air. The pokeball opened and revealed Ekans flying out and landing on the ground in front of his trainer.

She picked a pokeball up and threw it out calling, "Chikorita, come on out!" Chikorita showed up from her pokeball and landed on the ground determined.

"Ekans, use Poison Sting!" Team Rocket Grunt ordered to her snake Pokemon. Ekans shot poison needles from its mouth towards the small grass dinosaur.

"Chikorita, dodge and use Razor Leaf!" she told calmly to her. Chikorita dodged the poison needles swiftly and whipped the leaves towards Ekans. The snake Pokemon flew back to the wall scratched heavily while Chikorita stood there awaiting orders.

"Ekans, get up!" the Team Rocket Grunt coldly commanded her Pokemon. Ekans slowly stood up and slithered towards his position again. "Now, use your Wrap!" Ekans slithered toward Chikorita quickly and wrapped around her beginning to squeeze her tight.

"Chika!" it cried out pained while Ekans continued to squeeze the leaf Pokemon tighter.

"Chikorita!" she gasped concerned for her starter Pokemon.

Team Rocket Grunt giggled harshly until a thought popped into the young bluenette's mind as she ordered, "Chikorita, use your Vine Whip to pull yourself out!"

Chikorita's vines flew up to the air before they took sides of Ekans's tail and started to spread them apart. Ekans squeezed it harder making her stop pulling it apart and cried out pained. Crystal was very concerned for her first Pokemon until Chikorita's whole body glowed bright with white.

"What's happening?" the female grunt questioned frightened.

Ekans stared at the glowing Chikorita in its grasp with everyone else until Chikorita's body started to grow and the light flashed throughout the room blinding them all. Crystal shielded her eyes from the light until the light died to reveal an older, bigger Pokemon smirking at the scared Ekans standing in its grasp.

"What is that?" she wondered amazed at witnessing an evolution pulling out her Pokedex again.

"Bayleef. The Leaf Pokemon. The Evolution of Chikorita. The scent that wafts from the leaves on its neck causes anyone who smells it to become energetic." The computerized voice spoke showing a picture of Bayleef.

Bayleef got her vines out, pulled herself out from Ekans's measly grasp, and threw it across the room and crashed into a stonewall. Ekans fell back on the ground before it slithered up again dizzy from the crash. Crystal was amazed at Bayleef's strength before she smiled and continued back to the battle.

"Now, time to use Giga Drain!" she commanded Bayleef. Bayleef drained Ekans' energy making it heavily damaged as Ekans coiled on the ground unconscious.

"Oh, no!" Team Rocket Grunt cried out in despair.

Crystal recalled Bayleef back into her ball and passed by the freaked-out Team Rocket Grunt continuing her way to the last room. She ran down the lightly dimmed hallway until she reached a room that was filled with sleepy Slowpokes and a Team Rocket Grunt chopping off a Slowpoke's tail with a knife. He threw the Slowpoke against the wall while it landed on its head letting out a small yawn. He roughly grabbed a next Slowpoke by its tail and slammed it in front of him leaving the tail lying across from him.

"Stop!" Crystal screamed out running into the room starling the Team Rocket Grunt.

She stopped in front of the shocked Grunt while he recovered from the shock and stood up. "What are you doing here?" he questioned narrowing his eyes at her seriously.

"I'm here to stop you from cutting the Slowpokes' tails off and your little scheme." She countered determined to put a stop to their evil, twisted plan.

He scoffed uncaringly, "Like we'll do that because of you. First, you have to fight us to get us out." He pulled out a pokeball and threw it out revealing a Koffing again.

She let out a frustrated sigh, "Again. Oh, well, time to play." She released Delibird out from his pokeball and readied for another battle.

"Koffing, use Smog!"

Koffing started to spread poisonous gas around the battlefield usually while Delibird stood his ground unaffected. Crystal couldn't look through the purple mist with Delibird until she saw Koffing's outline appeared.

"Delibird, direct your Ice Beam to the little left." She told him while he readied his beam and shot it across the field.

The Ice Beam shot through the thick cloud and hit Koffing directly turning it into an icicle causing it to fall on the ground. The smog cleared up once again and showed Koffing frozen up in a frozen tomb. The Rocket Grunt growled angrily at the young girl while he recalled his Koffing back into its pokeball. She recalled Delibird back into his pokeball and set it back on her belt.

The Rocket Grunt snorted stubbornly and spoke, "Yeah, Team Rocket was broken up three years ago. But we continued our activities underground. Now you can have fun watching us stir up trouble!" With that, the room was enshrouded in darkness and lit up again to reveal that he wasn't standing in the same spot no more.

"Where did he go?" she asked looking for the troublesome Grunt around the Slowpoke-covered room.

While she surrounded by Slowpokes around, Kurt ran in huffing in quick breaths before he checked each Slowpoke for injuries. He walked up to Crystal with a pleased expression and exclaimed, "Way to go, Crystal! Team Rocket has taken off."

"Is your back okay?" she asked concerned about his injury.

"My back's better. Let's get out of here." He said leading her out of the well with the Slowpokes following them into town again.

They arrived back at Kurt's house while Kurt went back sitting on his mat and the little girl was having fun playing with Slowpoke. Crystal walked up to Kurt and stood before him while he looked and smiled gratefully, "Hi, Crystal! You've handled yourself like a real hero at the well."

She blushed a little and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "Well, I'm not exactly a hero."

"Nonsense! I would be honored to make balls for a trainer like you." He stood up and stepped over to the cabinet searching for something. He pulled it out and walked back to her. "This is all I have right now, but take it." He handed her a brand-new Lure Ball while she scanned it intrigued at it. "I make balls from apricorns. Collect them from trees and bring'em to me. I'll make balls out of them."

She put the Lure Ball in her backpack and smiled back saying, "I will. Thanks, Kurt." She bowed politely and respectfully to him before she took off exiting his house again.

Kurt smiled optimistically while his granddaughter was wrestling with Slowpoke on the ground until a letter fell from Slowpoke. The little girl stopped wrestling and picked it up curiously. She opened it and read it slowly and read it again. She ran over to her Grandpa and said, "Grandpa?"

Kurt looked down and asked with a smile, "What is it?"

She held out the letter to him and exclaimed happily, "Look, it's from Daddy!"

He took the letter from his precious granddaughter and read it himself capturing each word into his mind.

**_"Be good and look after the house with Grandpa and Slowpoke. Love, Dad"_**

Kurt smiled and looked at the ceiling with the little girl and Slowpoke look at him curious to know what he was thinking about. "Why that son of a gun." He muttered gladly to know his son was safe.

Crystal walked out into the small town again and saw this time; the town was lively than ever. The town was filled with Slowpokes playing around with some of the townspeople while some kept yawning away tiredly. "I have to say this does look like a 'People and Pokemon live in harmony' town." She said watching the cheerful people run around the town with Slowpoke chasing them playfully. She glanced at the orange horizon and found that it was about to turn nightfall.

She let out a huge sleepy yawn as she stretched her arms wide out. They fell loosely to her sides while she said to herself, "Today was exhausting, yet exciting. Tomorrow, I will battle the Gym Leader and earn that new badge along with my team. But first, it's time to hit the hay." She skipped towards the Pokemon Center; got her Pokemon healed up, rented a room for the night, and slept in bed peacefully dreaming of her day so far.

TBC

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That's it! What did you think? The next chapter is coming up soon. See ya! 


	11. Chase That Farfetch'd and Find Pineco!

Hi, thanks for reading and reviewing the story. I appreciate it. Please R&R! Thank you!

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Chase That Farfetch'd and Find Pineco! 

Morning came upon Azalea Town as the townspeople awoke from their nice sleep and started off their new day. Crystal was standing in front of the Azalea Gym, that looked like a greenhouse, waiting for the time to get her next gym badge from the Gym Leader, Bugsy. She walked inside through the glass doors to see the battle arena covered with trees on the side and nice green grass covering the floor. She searched the room around for anyone that could help her, but couldn't.

"Where is everyone?" she questioned confused seeing no soul in sight.

A pink-haired woman dressed in a safari outfit came through the back door and saw Crystal standing at the front door puzzled.

She strolled up to the friendly blue-haired trainer and asked nicely, "Can I help you?"

"Yes, is the Gym Leader around?"

"Bugsy? I'm sorry, but he's isn't here. He's in Ilex Forest capturing some bug Pokemon for his research and studying them. You should find him easily, he hides in the trees whenever he tries to catch something."

"I see. Thank you for your help."

When she exited the gym leaving the pink-haired girl alone, she ran to Ilex Forest through the entry building and entered into the dark, creepy forest. She shivered at the chill running down her spine when she saw no sun shining down through the treetops. She held her arms shivering at the cold air brushing against her delicate skin while she continued to walk through the forest's pathways. She stepped up along the line of tall trees until she found the teenage boy she met at the Charcoal Kiln. He looked nervous and scared standing frightened looking around the forest for something important.

She curiously walked up to him and asked concerned, "Are you okay?"

The boy didn't hear her and started mumbled nervously, "Oh, man…my boss is going to be steaming…" He turned his head fast and jumped in surprise when he saw Crystal standing beside him. His teeth chattered quickly while his skin ashen and trembled at the sudden act. Once he saw that she wasn't a Pokemon or something that wants to hurt him, he suddenly calmed down and loosened up.

She stepped up again and asked again, "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

He nodded his head timidly aware of his surroundings and replied, "The Farfetch'd that cuts trees for charcoal took off on me. I can't look for it here in the forest. It's too big, dark, and scary for me…" He drifted off when he heard a Growlithe howl nearby and flinched scared to the bone.

She gathered the information and then said, "So, the Farfetch'd the cuts the trees took off and you can't find him because the Ilex Forest is too dark, big, and scary for you?"

He nodded fearfully as he replied, "That's right…" Just then an Arcanine roared piercingly throughout the forest while the boy paled swiftly and fainted dropping to the ground.

She sighed a little before she helped him lean against the trunk of a tree as she picked up one of her pokeballs and pressed the button to open it. The pokeball opened and let out a white light that materialized Bayleef standing by her. She looked at her Bayleef and said to her, "Bayleef, stay with this boy until he recovered while I try to help get the Farfetch'd back."

Bayleef nodded confidently and strolled over to the collapsed boy while Crystal began to run off into the deep, dark forest going to search for the missing Farfetch'd. She rounded through the corners, jumped over the ledges, and scanned the pathways for the missing Pokemon. When she was running through the other path, she stopped to see Farfetch'd sit on the ground carving a picture on the ground with its stick having fun.

"There it is!" she said pleased to see it not injured or anything.

She slowly sneaked up to it without letting it know or hear her and stood behind it looking at what it was drawing. It was a picture of charcoal made nicely done by the artistic Pokemon. Farfetch'd felt a presence standing behind it and glanced over its shoulder unafraid and saw the curious girl staring at him. He jumped up from his spot and ran away from her avoiding to be caught again.

"Wait, come back!" she called out to it.

The Farfetch'd left her view as she ran to catch up with it until she found it again standing in the middle of the pathway swinging its stick around bored. She sneaked up to it as she was readying herself to pounce on the unsuspected Pokemon. She was almost near the Farfetch'd until it turned its head and saw her before she leapt at it determined to catch it until she landed on the ground with Farfetch'd sped away. She coughed from the dust entering her mouth as she looked up to see the Farfetch'd is gone.

"It's sure fast!" she remarked pulling herself from the ground and dashed through the pathway again following the scurrying Pokemon.

She found it again standing in front of a tree poking at a fruit hanging on its branch by using his stick. She crept up on him again and sneakily tiptoed towards the hungry Farfetch'd, who was too busy poking at the fruit trying to get it down so it can eat. It caught a glimpse of her creeping up to it and darted away again before he bumped into a large tree that made it fly back and ran away embarrassed at the moment. She hurried along trailing behind it avoiding unnecessary turns for the worst and getting tired of playing cat and mouse. They did like that for a while until they came across the boy again, except he was with the grown man this time.

"Ah, my Farfetch'd!" the man cried out happy to see his Pokemon back again.

Farfetch'd saw its trainer while it was fleeing from the chasing bluenette and jumped into the man's arms cheerfully. They spun around hugging each other for a while the boy watched smiling and Crystal stumbled up to them very tired from chasing the Farfetch'd. The man stopped spinning around and let Farfetch'd out of his grasp while it jumped on the ground beside him.

The man looked to see Crystal looking at them and asked wondering, "You found it for us, kid?"

She nervously scratched the back of her head while she answered shyly, "Yes."

He gave her a big grin and said, "Without it, we wouldn't be able to cut trees for charcoal. Thanks, kid! Now, how can I thank you…?" He put a finger to his chin and thought to himself.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me, I'm just glad to help." She objected kindly to the man's offer.

"Nonsense! I know! Here, take this! It's Cut." He cheerily exclaimed giving her a small orange technical machine.

She looked at the hidden machine before she put it into backpack pocket where the other machines are. She looked to see the man celebrating with Farfetch'd joyfully while the boy stood by the side watching.

While she watched them having fun, a boy about younger than her came up behind her and poked her shoulder saying, "Excuse me, miss?"

She glanced over her shoulder to see a purple-haired boy wearing a tan safari outfit standing behind her holding a butterfly net in his hand and a notebook in the other. She turned around slowly and looked at the boy saying, "Yes?"

"Hi, I'm Bugsy, Gym Leader of Azalea Town. And you are?" he introduced himself politely to the blue-haired girl.

"I'm Crystal Higarashi of New Bark Town." She introduced herself smiling knowing that she knows one boy that has good manners unlike someone she knows.

"Well, Miss Higarashi, I saw you chase that missing Farfetch'd around the forest when I was studying some Metapods that were hanging from a tree." He explained smiling at the bluenette.

She sighed embarrassed that he saw her chase that bird around the forest in frenzy like that. Her face blushed pink with her head feeling steaming hot that someone actually saw her in an embarrassing moment chasing the Farfetch'd endlessly.

"And I have to say I'm impress." He continued to say.

She stopped feeling embarrassed and looked at him like he's weird or something else, even though he looked serious himself.

"What?"

"I said that I'm impress that you chased the Farfetch'd like that with great determination and willing to catch that Pokemon. That Farfetch'd always runs around the forest fleeing from trainers that tried to catch it or battle it. The most people I saw always give up after one attempt at catching it, but you…you tried to catch it three times without giving up. You chasing that Farfetch'd without giving up made me impress. So, I got a favor to ask of you?"

"What is it?" she asked curious to know what the young Gym leader want to ask of her.

"You see, I'm looking for a rare bug Pokemon that I know is hiding somewhere around this forest." He explained holding his butterfly net tight.

"Really, what is it?"

He put his net in the crook of his arm and held his book in his two hands. He opened it to the very page and showed her a picture of a pinecone-looking Pokemon with two red eyes. She looked at it curiously never seen a Pokemon like that anywhere.

"It's this Pokemon, Pineco." He said pointing at the picture of the pinecone-looking Pokemon.

"A Pineco." She said amazed pulling out her Pokedex from her pocket.

"Pineco. The Bagworm Pokemon. It spits out a fluid that it uses to glue tree back to its body. The fluid hardens when it touches air." The automatic voice spoke showing the picture of Pineco.

Bugsy closed the book and handed it in one hand while he held the net in the other. She put her Pokedex away in her pocket while he spoke, "No one has ever seen a Pineco before and some studies suggest that they are extinct from the world, but I know that there is a Pineco around here in this forest and I'm going to find it. So, I was wondering if you could help me find the rare Pineco with me?"

"So, you want me to join you in searching for a rare bug Pokemon that you think is residing in this forest?"

"Yes."

"Sure, I'll help you."

He smiled thanking her and started to walk away, "Good, now let's go find that Pineco, Miss Higarashi!"

"You know you could call me Crystal, right?"

"I know, but I only call people by their first names if I know them well."

She nodded and followed him through the whole forest searching for the rare bug Pokemon, Pineco. They searched through the trees and the grass trying to search for the bagworm Pokemon while they were stumbled upon an angry nest of Beedrills and they fled away from the furious insects before they got stung bad. They were searching in the west part of the forest until they reached a clearing opening that was surrounded by trees.

Bugsy walked into the middle and observed the clearing until he turned to her and spoke, "I think a Pineco is near."

She walked up to him and stood in front of him, "You sure?"

He nodded to her, "Positive."

They split up searching endlessly through the trees that were nearby as Crystal climbed a tree with her hands and feet trying not to fall. She grabbed a branch and pulled herself up sitting on the branch comfortably. She saw a great scenic view of the forest and breathed in a breath of fresh forest air.

"It's beautiful. I wonder if the guardian of the forest has to do with this?" she wondered putting a hand to the tree.

She felt something spiky and hard under her touch and moved her hand to feel it lumpy and bumpy on her skin. She froze knowing that the 'thing' she touched is not a tree. She slowly turned her head around to face whatever she was touching and saw a sleeping Pineco stuck to the tree with its fluid. Her hand was on its body touching its chest while she tried not to yell or scream in surprise and shock. She then remembered that this was the bug that Bugsy wanted to find.

She looked down trying to find the young Gym leader until she found him nearby checking out a tree. She glanced at Pineco to see it was still sleeping and whispered softly, "Bugsy!"

He heard his name being called out and spun around to see Crystal calling him from the branch of a tree. His eyebrows shot up confused as he watched her doing some hand movements trying to tell him something.

"Miss Higarashi, what are you doing up there?" he asked loudly.

She cringed and looked at something worried until she let out a sigh and put a finger to her lips telling him to be silent. She motioned him to come a little closer and he obeyed standing underneath able to see her face.

"Bugsy, I've found Pineco." She whispered to him softly not letting Pineco awake.

"You've found Pineco?!" he exclaimed excitedly about discovering the rare bug.

She freaked out at his loud voice and tried to shush him up, but when she took a glimpse at the bagworm and saw that it was wide awake and staring at her. It jumped off the tree and landed beside her angry that it got interrupted from its nap.

"Pineco." It spoke with a spice of venom in its tone.

"Oh, boy." She mumbled backing away from the furious Pineco.

Bugsy sees the rare Pineco sitting on the branch besides Crystal and exclaimed astonished, "It really is a Pineco! If I could capture it, then it would fit my research perfectly."

He watched it stepping up to the nervous girl as she scooted back getting away from it. An idea clicked in his mind suddenly while he saw how tall Crystal was compared to the small bagworm Pokemon.

"Miss Higarashi, grab Pineco and throw him to me!"

She turned her head to him while she was at the last edge of the branch and cried out disbelief, "Say what?!"

"You pick up Pineco and throw it to me, so I can catch it with a Pokeball!" he repeated again.

She turned back to Pineco to see it striding closer and closer to her with fury in its eyes. She sweated a little being nervous from being the little bagworm's punching bag, if it has hands.

"Trust me, Miss Higarashi! Just grab it and throw it towards me, then the research will be complete!"

She rolled her eyes sighing after he said that to her before she gathered enough courage and whispered, "Okay."

She reached out confidently and grabbed hold of the shocked Pineco before she threw it towards him. Pineco flew towards the Azalea Gym leader as Bugsy caught it in his tight grip. He fell on his back holding the surprised Pineco before it stood up and tried to flee away until Crystal jumped off the branch and blocked its way. It tried to escape the other way, but Bugsy stood up and spread his arms out not letting the rare bug go.

The Pineco glanced between Crystal and Bugsy trying to figure out what to do. Crystal moved closer to the small bug while Bugsy mimicked her. It panicked a little until it started to shake uncontrollably between the two. While it shook, the ground around it started to rumble and shook along with it like another earthquake. Crystal looked appalled at it while she watched it shake horribly doing who knows what.

"What is it doing?" she inquired watching Pineco do its stuff.

"It's using Self-destruct! If it continues this for a while, then it'll explode and destroy itself!" Bugsy cried out fearing that it'll explode any minute.

"What should we do?" she asked his opinion.

"I don't know!" he yelled over the loud rumbling back to her.

Crystal thought to herself until she thought of something and picked up Delibird's pokeball from her belt readied to play its game.

"Delibird, come on out!" she called out throwing the ball up into the air gracefully.

The ball popped and Delibird materialized from the white light before he flipped around and land on the ground posing. He finished his pose and saw the Pineco shaking hysterically puzzled at its actions.

"Quick, use your Ice Beam!"

"Deli!" he nodded and shot out a beam of ice at the frenzied Pineco.

The beam hit the bagworm Pokemon pretty hard causing a mist to appear and when it dispersed, there in the middle was the Pineco covered in ice. Bugsy ran up to it and inspected it carefully checking to see if anything is wrong. Crystal praised Delibird and patted on his head affectionately before she called him back into his pokeball. She walked over slowly while Bugsy stood up from his inspection of the frozen bagworm.

He let out a relieved sigh, "That was good thinking, Crystal, of using your Delibird's Ice Beam to stop Pineco from trying to explode and destroy itself."

"Your welcome, but that-!" she stopped when she realized something, "Bugsy! You called me Crystal!"

He cocked his head to side in confusion and smiled chuckling, "Yeah, I guess I did."

She walked over to the frozen bagworm Pokemon and knocked it with her fist inquiring, "So, how are we supposed to bring Pineco back to Azalea Town?"

"We could drag it back to town before the ice defrosts."

She nodded understanding him as they stood on each side and began to drag the iced Pineco back to Azalea Town through the maze of Ilex Forest. They dragged it through the entry building where the security guard and an old lady looked at them questioning wondering what they're doing to a block of ice. They got out to see the sky turned from blue to orange and headed towards the Gym to see the pink-haired girl standing outside waiting for them. She looked and squealed in delight to see a rare Pineco encased in the block of ice.

"You did it, Bugsy! You got a rare Pineco from the forest!" she squealed some more running over and looking at the bagworm interested.

"Well, I didn't do it alone, Lady, Crystal helped me and got to freeze Pineco before it even self-destructed." He calmly explained to her.

She pulled her head back and gapped at him shocked, "You serious? Pineco was ready to use its Self-Destruct immediately?"

"Yes, but Pineco is here and alive now, so we should get it inside."

She nodded at him and ran back inside the Gym leaving them alone to watch her run. Bugsy turned to his new friend and looked at her standing there thinking to herself silently. He gave a little smile before the girl came back with some help and took Pineco into the Gym, where it was safe. Crystal glanced at the young bug Gym leader and saw him looking at her with a smile.

"I'm sorry for using up your whole day in searching for that Pinecone." He apologized feeling sorry to her.

She smiled and waved it off, "It's okay, besides I had fun with you."

"You know, you can come to the Gym tomorrow and battle me for the Hive badge if you are tough enough to beat me." He mischievously smirked at the gawking girl.

She snapped out of her stupor and grinned, "Why you little bugger."

They shared a joyful laugh with each other until the sun went behind the horizon making the sky even darker than before.

Later that night, Crystal was in her rented room in the town's Pokemon Center brushing her hair with her wooden hairbrush while Delibird was sitting on the bed and Bayleef lying on a light blue wool blanket near the bed. Delibird watched curiously at his trainer while Bayleef let out a loud tired yawn.

She put her brush on the table observing her appearance on the square mirror hanging on the wall. She walked over to the bed and jumped under the covers while Delibird sat on the other side of the bed. She then petted Bayleef on the head with one hand and petted Delibird on his head with the other while she mumbled tiredly, "Goodnight, you two."

TBC

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That's the end. The next chapter is coming soon. 


	12. The Pokemon Battle For The Hive Badge

Sorry for the long wait. I had to deal with school, work, and life. Anyway, here's the new chapter of the story! C ya!

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The Pokemon Battle For The Hive Badge

The next morning, Crystal was standing in front of the Azelea Gym ready for her Pokemon battle with Bugsy. She was anxious and excited to go in there and win her second gym badge. So with a small breath, she stepped into the gym and saw Bugsy and the pink-haired girl standing there in a forest along with a defrosted healthy Pineco.

"Hi, Crystal!" Bugsy waved happy to see her.

"Hi, Bugsy! Wow! Looks like you got Pineco defrosted." Crystal remarked going up to the Pinceo and bending down to his eye level.

"Yup. Me and Lady were having a hard time defrosting it since we don't have any fire Pokemon with us. Until we turned up the heat in the air conditioning system and let the ice defrost. After that, Pineco hasn't used Self-Destruct." Bugsy said watching Crystal pat the smiling Pineco on the head.

"Really?"

"Pineco." Pineco said enjoying the petting.

"Yes, Pineco has become happy here with the other Pokemon here in the Gym that I think he decided not to use Self-Destruct." Lady explained wieliding her net in her hand.

"That's great!" Crystal said standing up after petting Pineco.

"So, Crystal, ready for our battle?" Bugsy asked a bit excited.

"You bet. I'm ready for anything." Crystal replied smiling big.

"Good. I never lose when it comes to Bug Pokemon, you know."

With that, they entered the battlefield and stood on opposite sides while Lady and Pineco stood on the sidelines. Lady raised her hand up and stated loudly.

"This is the battle between Crystal the challenger and Bugsy the Gym Leader. The rules are three pokemon can be used and that the challenger can substitute their pokemon at anytime. "

Crystal shuffled her feet eager to start and Bugsy smiled happily.

"Begin!"

"It's time to show the true potential of Bug Pokemon!" Bugsy called out throwing his Pokeball out before it hit the ground revealing a Metapod.

"What's that?" Crystal questioned curiously taking out her Pokedex.

"Metapod. The Cocoon Pokemon. This is its pre-evolved form. At this stage, it can only harden, so it remains motionless to avoid attack." The Pokedex responded showing the picture of a Metapod.

"So it can't move, huh? Then this will be easy then." she grinned picking up a Pokeball, "Go Delibird!"

She threw the Pokeball up as it opened up and released Delibird letting him fly to the ground carefree.

"Delibird, let's start with a Wing Attack!" Crystal commanded eagerly.

"Deli!" he cried out flying towards the stationed Metapod with glowing wings.

"Metapod, harden!" Bugsy called out.

Metapod started to glow silver as Delibird flew up and unexpectedly smashed his face against the hardened shell. Delibird flew back overpowered while Crystal was speechless.

"Metapod, use Tackle!"

"Meta!" It said slamming its body against Delibird's pushing it away towards the other side.

"How can that be? The Pokedex said that it can only use Harden and it doesn't move!" Crystal said worriedly.

"You know you can't rely on a Pokedex when it comes to Bug attacks. That's why I'm known as the walking encyclopedia." Bugsy replied smirking a bit, "Use String Shot!"

Metapod obeyed and released a string of sticky web out of its mouth.

"Delibird, stop it with ice beam!" Crystal shouted.

Delibird stood back up and fired an ice beam at the the web freezing it completely before it fell and broke into pieces.

"Now Delibird, combine Quick Attack Wing Attack at the same time!"

Delibird rose up and flew towards Metapod at an incredible and before Metapod knew it, he was slammed harshly and slid on the ground towards a surprised Bugsy.

"Metapod, are you okay?" he asked checking on the unmoving cocoon.

"Meta.." it croaked before it went unconscious and limped.

"Metapod is unable to battle. This round goes to Delibird." Lady declared raising her towards the challenger.

"We did it, Delibird!" she cheered happily to win a round.

"Deli!" he cheered as well dancing.

"Metapod return!" Bugsy said recalling his Pokemon back into the Pokball, "That was a good plan, Crystal. Mixing two attacks into one powerful attack. Now it's my turn! Kakuna, come on out!" He whipped out another Pokeball and threw it towards the center of the battlefield. The ball hit the ground and unleashed another cocoon, but it's light brown.

"Kakuna. The Cocoon Pokemon. Nearly incapable of movement, it leans against stout trees while waiting for its evolution." the Pokedex read showing the picture of Kakuna.

"Well, I know that fact is untrue since Metapod can move and he's a cocoon. Delibird, use Ice Beam!"

Delibird jumped up and released his beam of ice upon the unsuspecting cocoon.

"Kakuna, Harden!" Bugsy yelled out.

Kakuna hardened his shell with a silvery light while the ice beam hit the shell, but didn't do any damage to the cocoon.

"See if you can beat my Kakuna's high defense." Bugsy said pointing his net at Kakuna proudly.

"I'm not sure about that. Delibird, use Double Team!" Crystal commanded raising her hand up.

"Deli!" he called out forming multiple forms of himself surrounding the confused Kakuna.

"What?" Bugsy muttered shocked.

"Punch him out with your Focus Punch!" she called out with full confidence.

The Delibirds rushed at the stunned cocoon as their fists glowed white and they started to punch the living being out of it. The smoke they created from the brawl covered the fight while the trainers anticipated over who's wining or who's losing. When the smoke cleared out, it revealed Delibird standing triumpantly over the defeated cocoon lying the ground.

"Kakuna is unable to battle! The round goes to Delibird." Lady annoucned raising her hand to the challenger again.

"Good job, Delibird!" Crystal cheered excitedly.

"Deli! De!" he proudly stated thumping his chest.

"Great job, Crystal, but it's time for my trump card! Go Scyther!" he threw the Pokeball out before it popped revealing a tall green praying mantis with a sinister grin.

"Scyther!" it called out enthusiactically.

"What's that?" Crystal questioned highly intrigued.

"Scyther. The Mantis Pokemon. It's very proud of its speed. It moves so fast that its opponent does not even know what knocked it down." The Pokedex stated showing the picture of Scyther.

"Wow, I could tell we'll be having a hard time with this one." she said concerned looking at the arrogant-looking Scyther.

"It's time to shine! Scyther, Quick Attack!"

Scyther dashed towards Delibird in the speed of light making Delbird froze.

"Now use your Fury Cutter!"

Scyther raised his arm blade and brought it down scratching a cut on Delibird's face. Delibird looked confused at the mantis while Scyther jumped back awaiting orders. Crystal looked befuddled until she called over.

"Was that it? That move hardly did any damage to Delibird at all."

Bugsy chuckled a bit, "You're correct. This move may seem weak in the beginning, but using this move a couple of times will double the damage and seriously defeat a Pokemon with one move. This is the move I created when I was watching a wild Pinscir and a wild Scyther fight against each other. Clever, huh?"

"I'll say. It's our turn now. Delibird, time to use Double Team!"

Delibird jumped up into the air and recreated multiple forms of himself before they landed on the ground surrounding Scyther.

"Using that old strategy again? We're prepared for this. Scyther, use Quick Attack now!"

Scyther dashed towards the mob of Delibirds before he started to slash at each Delibird. When he was heading towards the last Delibird, he slashed his blade across his stomach and made Delibird fly towards the other side hurt.

"Delibird! Are you okay?" Crystal cried out worried.

"Deli...de.." He moaned before he went unconsious.

"Delibird is unable to battle. The winner is Scyther." Lady called out raising her hand to Scyther.

"Keep up the good work, Scyther!" Bugsy shouted out while Scyther started to flex its muscles.

"Delibird, return!" she said recalling the defeated Pokemon back into the Pokeball, "You did great." She fingered another Pokeball and threw it out letting out the happy Bayleef out.

"Let's begin! Bayleef, use Posion Powder!"

"Bay!" it cried out shaking its head unleashing a cloud of purple powder from its leaves and showering on a perplexed Scyther.

Scyther looked around confused until the posion kicked in and made it look drowsy and deeply ill.

"Good choice of using Posion Powder to slow down Scyther. Scyther, use Fury Cutter."

Scyther quickly went to begin to attack while Bayleef stood its ground calmly.

"Bayleef, use Reflect!" Crystal called out watching Scyther run towards Bayleef.

An invisible wall appeared in front of Bayleef while Scyther continued charging towards its opponent with quick speed. That was until Scyther slammed into the insivible wall head-first and flew back dazed. The invisible wall disappeared as Crystal and Bayleef waited for the perfect timing.

"Perfect! Use Body Slam!" Crystal cheered.

Bayleef started to charge towards the oblivious Scyther, jumped into the air, and slammed Scyther's body into the ground creating a crater underneath them. Bayleef jumped back looking at the unconsious Scyther while Scyther let out a sigh of defeat.

"Scyther, no!" Bugsy cried out.

"Scyther is unable to battle. Victory goes to Crystal Higurashi of New Bark Town!"

"We won!" Crystal cheered dancing the victory dance along with Bayleef.

Bugsy called back Scyther into his Pokeball and smiled at the cheering trainer with her Pokemon. The pair stopped dancing before Bugsy, Lady, and Pineco walked up to them.

"Congratulations, Crystal! You put up a tough battle! You're an expert on Pokemon!" Bugsy complimented.

"Thanks, Bugsy."

"May I present to you...." Bugsy began to say watching Lady open up the badge case to reveal the ladybug-looking badge before he picked it up, "The Hive Badge!"

He handed it to her and she pocked the badge in her badge box. She put the box away as Bugsy started to talk again.

"My research is still incomplete, so I'm going to research more till I know everything about Bug Pokemon. Maybe once I complete my research, we could have a rematch."

"That would be a great idea! Here's my phone number."

After they exchanged phone numbers, Crystal left the Gym and headed towards the Pokemon Center. She got her Pokemon healed and decided to go to the next town before sunset. So, she started to head towards the gateway between Azelea Town and Iflex Forest.

"I wonder what the next Gym Leader will specialize in. Who knows." She shrugged before she kept on walking.

"Hold it right there." Someone said

She stopped turning around to see Silver running up to her with a weird look in his eyes until he stopped and faced her.

"So, Weakling, is it true Team Rocket has returned?" he asked crossing his arms over his chest seriously.

"If you meant that gang wearing black that I beat in Slowpoke Well, then yes, they returned."

His eyebrow rose, "You? Beat them?" He gave out a small chuckle, "Hah. Stop lying!"

Her eyes narrowed at him while she reflected, "I'm not lying!"

He stopped chuckling and stared back at her stunned, "Are you serious? Oh well...Let's see how powerful you really are, Crystal."

He pulled out three Pokeballs inbetween his fingers before he took one out and threw it out to the center. The Pokeball hit the ground and opened up to reveal a grinning Gastly floating above the ground.

"Gastly." he moaned grinning with a big smile.

"Wow, a Gastly." Crystal whispered whipping out her Pokedex.

"Gastly. The Gas Pokemon. It wraps its opponent in its gas-like body, slowly weakening its prey by poisoning it through the skin." The Pokemon informed showing the picture of Gastly.

She pulled out a Pokeball out and threw it out to the center while she watched Delibird pop out of his ball with a flip in the air and landed on the ground proudly.

Silver chuckled mockingly, "The same old weak Pokemon. Haven't you gotten other strogner Pokemon than this pathetic one?"

"Hey! Delibird is not weak! Plus, he's much stronger than your Gastly over there!" she exclaimed back angrily.

"Whatever. Gastly, Hypnosis!" he commanded harshly.

Gastly's eyes shone red while he was deeply staring into Delibird's eyes. Delibird was really confused until the move started to effect on him and made him wobble a bit.

"Delibird, stay strong." she said watching the Deliivery Pokemon move around dizzily.

Delibird quickly shook his head around as he was fully awake and unaffected from the hypnosis. Silver frowned a little when he saw Gastly's attack didn't do anything to the opponent.

"Gastly, use Lick!" Silver commanded angrily.

"Gastly!" he said moving in towards Delibird with his tongue sticking out.

"Delibird, use Blizzard!" Crystal ordered calmly.

Delibird released a full-blowing blizzard from his mouth upon the gas Pokemon as it got by the snowstorm and fell to the ground unconsious from the special ice attack. Silver frowned more as he watched Gastly fall from the attack.

"We did it!" Crystal cheered holding up the peace sign.

"Return!" he recalled Gastly back into the Pokeball before he uttered malicious words to it, "You pathetic coward."

"Hey, don't insult your Pokemon like that!" she heard him insult Gastly and yelled at him defensive.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do with MY Pokemon! Zubat, go!" He threw out the next Pokeball, which came out to reveal Zubat.

"Zubat. The Bat Pokemon. During the day, it gathers with others and hangs from the ceilings of old buildings and caves." The Pokedex reported out of her pant's pocket.

"Delibird, return!" she called back Delibird into his Pokeball again before she threw out the next Pokeball, "Go, Bayleef!"

Bayleef appeared out of the Pokemon with a smiling face and an enthusiastic attitude as Silver looked interested at Bayleef.

"Zubat, use Bite."

Zubat flew towards Bayleef ready to chomp his fangs into the opponent's neck. Bayleef was standing there calmly even though Zubat was trying to attack her.

"Bayleef, dodge."

Bayleef stepped to the right avoiding Zubat, who was flying right past her completely.

"Now use Body Slam."

Bayleef went in for the attack and slammed Zubat's body into the ground nearly squishing it like a pancake. Bayleef stopped and stepped away from the squished Zubat as Silver frowned even more at Zubat's easy defeat.

"Zubat, return." The Pokeball zapped Zubat with its red energy and sucked him back into the capsule. He looked at it and muttered, "Worthless weakling."

Crystal frowned at him calling his Pokemon weak, worthless, or pathetic. He reached his last Pokeball and threw it out letting out a timid Cyndaquil standing on the battlefield scared. Cyndaquil looked back at Silver with uncertainy while Silver glared right back at it.

"Stop being weak and fight!" he yelled at him making him flinch from fright.

Crystal shook her head disappointedly at him while Bayleef felt sorry for her friend to be pushed around by an arrogant trainer.

"Cyndaquil, use Ember!" he commanded frustratedly.

"Cynda!" he cried out firing embers from his back and towards Bayleef.

"Bayleef, dodge it!"

Bayleef jumped back and let the embers hit the grass where she was standing last.

"Use Sleeping Powder!" she commanded wanting to end the battle, so Cyndaquil wouldn't get hurt.

Bayleef shook her head around letting out blue powder from her leaves and form around the curious Cyndaquil. Cyndaquil looked at it amazed until some powder hit him in the nose and made him fall alseep quickly. Silver cursed at the sleeping Pokemon as he stepped forward towards him.

"Useless Pokemon!" he said kicking him in the stomach.

"Hey! Stop that" she cried out running to intervene with Bayleef.

He pointed at her with his pointer finger and threatened, "Don't move, Girl. You only won because my Pokemon are weak. You are just like Team Rocket. Weak. I hate the weak. That's why I'm going to be strong and destroy the weak trainers and their weak Pokemon. You may win this round, but I WILL beat you!"

"Fine, but take Cyndaquil and the others to the Pokemon Center first before going somewhere."

He scoffed, "Like I'm taking advice from a pathetic trainer like you."

With that, he dashed into the gateway leaving a shocked Crystal and Bayleef to watch him disappear from their view. They stood like that speechless at what he done while Delibird was shaking in his Pokemon hanging on her belt.

"I can't believe he would treat his Pokemon like that. I hope that they're okay." she muttered sadly before turning towards Bayleef, "I think you should rest Bayleef. We got a full day ahead of us."

"Bay!" she agreed nodding with a smile.

Crystal called Bayleef back into her Pokeball as she turned towards the gateway and ran inside heading towards the next Gym in Goldenrod City.

* * *

Sorry for the wait. Update soon


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